The Pakistan crisis is far worse than we think
At present, Pakistan has become the most ruined country in South Asia. In fact, the condition of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bangladesh is also not good. The economies of all these countries are in trouble, but inflation in Pakistan is leaping to such an extent that even the daily maintenance for the common people has become difficult.
Petrol Rs 275 litre, Wheat Rs.125 Kilo, tomato two and a half hundred rupees per kilogram and chicken seven and a half hundred rupees per Kg is the market scenario. People are seen snatching ghee and oil. On the other hand, in its shorter edition of the budget, the government has imposed various new taxes on the citizens.
Foreign exchange reserves are also almost empty. The International Monetary Fund is ready to give a loan of 1.1 billion dollars to Pakistan but its condition is that the government of Pakistan should first increase its income. The debt-ridden government now has only one slogan – ‘Do everything to avoid death.’
This slogan has literally come true. The economy of Pakistan is in such a severe crisis, that is, it is worse than any war situation. Simultaneously the condition of Pakistan’s politics is absolutely infirm. Swords are drawn between former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The news of Imran’s arrest surrounds Lahore like a storm.
Thousands of Imran supporters have gathered in the surrounding of Imran’s house so that no one can arrest him. The attention of the government is more towards getting engaged in rioting with Imran instead of mulling over reviving the sinking economy of the country. Even more worrying is the fact that Baloch, Pathan and Sindhi people have started disobeying Islamabad.
They have started raising the slogan of separation from Pakistan. So far Pakistani army is was doing everything to support the Taliban, but now the same Taliban demand the abolition of the Durand Line. Even more dangerous for Pakistan is China’s disillusionment with it.
China has closed its consulate in Pakistan. China is spending about $65 billion on building roads, rail, pipelines and ports in Pakistan under its Silk Road initiative. But Chinese companies are demanding advance payment before sending any construction materials to Pakistan. This country called Pakistan doesn’t have money.
China is also angry with the killing of Chinese citizens in Pakistan. Other Muslim countries are also not ready to save Pakistan. If the Shahbaz government has the guts to restart the Pak-India trade on this occasion and seek Modi’s help, then many things can be accomplished. But that seems too impossible to happen. Shahbaz has already gone too far criticizing India in global daises.
