A critical issue dominating discussions, from the national political arena to the grassroots level, is the economic challenges facing the country.
People are not only anxious but are also gripped by a sense of uncertainty regarding the nation’s economic future.
Concerns about the country’s economic situation have led to widespread worry, with people questioning the prospects of future economic stability.
On one hand, there’s deep concern among the populace about the economy, while on the other hand, the political power struggle in Islamabad continues.
The public feels increasingly alienated from this power struggle, perceiving their role as nothing more than that of spectators.
As a result, there are growing questions and strong reservations about the government, with many believing that the current system is inherently class-based.
This system, they argue, is designed to politically and economically exploit ordinary citizens while favoring the powerful, leading to widespread disillusionment.
According to a recent survey by Pulse Consultant, gauging public opinion on economic issues, 74% of respondents in urban areas of Pakistan are unable to meet their monthly expenses with their current income. This percentage was 60% in May 2023.
To manage their monthly expenses, 59% of respondents have reduced their household purchases, 39% have resorted to borrowing, and 11% have taken on part-time jobs. Only 26% of individuals were able to cover their expenses with their income, but even among them, most have no savings.
This telephone survey included participants from 11 major cities in Pakistan, aged between 18 and 55 years. While these statistics reflect the situation in urban areas, a broader look at both urban and rural regions reveals even greater economic distress and political discontent.
The lack of new job opportunities, job insecurity, low wages, the ineffective implementation of the minimum wage of Rs. 37,500, along with rising prices of essential commodities like electricity, gas, fuel, medicines, milk, and cooking oil, have compounded people’s difficulties.
Electricity prices have seen the highest increase, with 60% to 70% of the salaries of the working class being consumed by electricity bills.
The unjustifiable increase in electricity prices and other taxes has left people with nowhere to turn. The middle class, in particular, has been hit the hardest, as they had managed to create some comfort and convenience in their lives over the past two decades but now find themselves struggling to maintain those standards.
This economic strain has led to increased social tensions, conflicts, anger, and frustration at both the family and societal levels.
The economic divide has caused deep fractures within families and society. The imbalance between income and expenses has affected family structures from top to bottom.
Even government and non-government employees in grades 17 to 20 are struggling to make ends meet.
The lack of focus on establishing new small or large industries raises questions about how the government plans to provide employment for the new generation.
Recently, in a gathering of university students, concerns about their future were evident, along with a strong sense of economic insecurity.
The younger generation is particularly angry about the stark contrast between their own poverty and the wealth of the powerful elite who dominate politics and other sectors, exploiting state resources without restraint.
It has come to light that many once financially stable individuals or families are now forced to seek assistance from charitable organizations for healthcare, with no other options available to them.
This situation raises critical questions about whether the current state and government systems have any solutions for the problems faced by the people, or if they have completely ignored their plight.
People are more concerned with hope and the prospect of improvement than with the immediate resolution of their problems. This hope arises when they believe that the government is moving towards a better roadmap or that the direction of the nation is correct.
The issue is not confined to any single party or government; rather, it reflects a broader failure of the governance system to address public interests effectively.
Personalized politics and an economy driven by vested interests have transformed the state apparatus into a powerful mafia, both within and outside the government. This mafia has turned the entire system into a business for profit.
Moreover, the charity model of economic development has become a form of exploitation, where people are made dependent on charity rather than being economically empowered.
This is why it is often reiterated that Pakistan’s current situation cannot be resolved through traditional and outdated policies. There is a need for fundamental changes in administrative, political, legal, and economic structures at a large scale.
The credibility of the government system is linked to its ability to ensure the protection and provision of people’s basic rights. However, the current governance system has become a significant burden on the people, both politically and economically.
Economic terrorism takes root when the state-citizen relationship is weakened by an unjust, non-transparent, and undemocratic system.
This environment of political, legal, and economic discrimination creates distrust between the state and its citizens, leading people to disengage from the system or rebel against it.
Therefore, the government still has the option to carefully examine the underlying issues and focus on resolving the people’s problems, rather than merely offering hollow slogans. If the increasing economic divide and the politics of discrimination continue, they will render us insignificant, and people will resort to rebellion.