Promoting beggary as a nation

As a nation we beg from the international community, and to make the public get used to the idea, we sanction programmes such as the Benazir Income Support Programme started by the Sindh government, or some Langar (free food) programmes which the Punjab government has initiated along with the Sasti Roti scheme to relieve the poor. Moreover, in Karachi an organisation called the Saylani Welfare Trust provides free food to the passersby that include people who work as taxi drivers, rickshaw drivers, scavengers and so on. It is a never ending list of people taking advantage from this free food programme, with stalls all over the city, at public hospitals, roundabouts, signals etc.

According to Jan Muhammad, he has stopped using his own money to buy food. “When they are providing me with free food, why should I spend money?” he asks with amazement in his eyes. On the other hand a taxi driver feels offended with the whole idea. “I buy a plate of daal and roti everyday, along with a cup of tea. It costs me Rs 50, if I had chicken the amount would be Rs 100. But I would rather eat daal then go ahead and eat the mutton provided by Saylani,” he proudly reveals.

Another man said that this is the government’s plan to desensitise us towards their growing loans they take from the United States or the World Bank or IMF. It has been a general attitude by the Pakistan People’s Party to buy people with cheap gimmicks. Instead of subsidising basic necessities and making tax recovery their priority, they take loans, reason being that they would be the first one’s who would have to pay the highest taxes. Therefore, taking loans is a better option as it fills their pockets rather then paying, which would reduce their wealth.

An owner of even a small organisation understands that he cannot spend more then what he earns, moreover even a schoolboy knows he cannot spend more then his pocket money; but unfortunately people at the helm of Pakistan’s financial affairs have not learned this. Perhaps they need to be taught through simulation games like Sim City, Age of Empires and Stronghold where the coffers of a state are constantly filled with taxes in order to provide the civilians with facilities.

The recent disclosures regarding the over-expenditure of the Sindh Chief Minister’s House by at least Rs 133 million, was a clear indication of how much our politicians are concerned about the current state of beggary.

Disintegration continues

The supporters of the Nationalist/Separatist parties give only one impression and that is they want Pakistan to be disintegrated. If that was not the case, instead of being blind to the true cause of the poor going for such ideals, these people would be actively involved in getting the poor educated, and not merely politically motivated.

Interestingly, this is not the first instance of their support in the wrong quarters. The breaking of India, although a lot of the credit has been given to Nehru’s stubbornness, should also be given to the progressives, who were able to achieve the disintegration of India - first into India and Pakistan, and later Bangladesh. And now, once again they are giving their support to the people who want to further break Pakistan into tiny pieces.

Whether it is the Sindhi Nationalists or the Baloch Nationalists, the movements are being run by the same Landlords, who have been the actual cause of discontent for the poor of all these provinces. People who live in the shadow of these landlords are not free. How can they be free living under such people, who can and do, at any moment kidnap their daughters, enslave their sons and wives? People, who are not free to even get educated or get married or move to another place be actually free to vote?

They are just pawns, not for their rulers, but also for these so-called enlightened activists, who support the rulers of these poor people.