Executive Director of Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) Saifuddin Sheikh on Tuesday said inflation in various countries has been  decreasing, but it has been increasing continuously in Pakistan and no possibility is vivid of its reduction. In his media statement, he said the main causes of inflation in Pakistan which has made life difficult for the majority include poor governance and endless elitism. He accused that all the resources are being spent on the welfare of the elite therefore poverty is increasing and the middle class is disappearing in the country.

He further stated that the burden of wrong priorities and benefitting the elite falls on the poor who are reeling under inflation. He added that the price of flour, meat, rice, chicken and sugar along with other items is continuously increasing in the country and their export and smuggling are also growing rapidly. He noted that the statements regarding action against the profiteer mafia by the top authorities are meant to feed the public a lollipop of satisfaction, which has nothing to do with reality.

He was of the opinion “All the important policies are designed to benefit the elite which increase the suffering of the people instead of reducing it”. Due to the selfishness of the elites and the avoidance of necessary reforms, the economy has not been able to develop and instead of reducing poverty, it is increasing it, he added. He said that politicians and other influential consider it their right to plunder national resources while paying tax is considered as an insult. Businessmen also prefer to get subsidies and packages through various pretexts instead of competing in the international market and when they have a lot of black money, they get the government to announce an amnesty scheme, he observed.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP