Much to the dismay of already struggling Pakistanis, inflation is taking centre stage again. Islamabad’s bungled promises that the darkest of days was behind us, coupled with policy failures, are making the public’s predicament go to rack and ruin. As was being foretold by economists for quite some time, prices are to soar high into the sky. With headline inflation shooting to over 11 per cent in April and food inflation hovering around 15 per cent, the outlook here looks far from rosy. Food inflation has been in double digits for quite some time now. Consumers all across the country are facing severe flour price shocks as wheat is in no mood of backing down. There has been a phenomenal increase in prices of corn and soybean–necessary commodities for cattle and poultry farming. Sugar, pulses, edible oil, eggs are all fast getting out of reach of a common man. Only last month, Sindh High Court had sought an explanation for the violation of official rates of milk across Karachi. The very fact that food prices have risen by over a third in the last two years speaks volumes about the ability of an average Pakistani family to put food on the table. As the government and market forces keep on passing the buck to avoid the ball falling in their court, the masses continue to suffer from extraordinarily pressing times. Wait, there’s more! What about the rising energy prices, which are bound to drive inflation even higher? The disastrous impacts of COVID-19 on our fragile economy are an open secret. With back-to-back lockdowns and restrictions on economic activities, a large number of people with livelihoods in the private sector have gotten into a predicament. Working hours reduced, salaries revised or delayed, and a constant Damoclean sword of joblessness hanging over their heads, these unfortunate beings have no respite. Add this to the conundrum of persisting high prices and we have a foolproof recipe for utter misery and impending societal chaos. As if the government did not have enough on its plate with sluggish economic growth, unchecked food inflation is known to fuel discontent way, way faster because of its immediate impacts on households. It would be simply futile to expect the ruling PTI to use a magic wand to push the genie of inflation back in its proverbial bottle. Yet, just blaming mafias won’t do the trick. Not this time around. The public has had enough of the dark ages. It refuses to live another nightmare where energy prices will enable another shock rise in prices just because the IMF has said so. Whether it be a strict crackdown against the so-called all-mighty mafias or a resolution of the governance crises, the skipper simply has to take a wicket! *