LAHORE: Oxfam, in collaboration with the Indus Consortium, held a discussion on the economic report that they have presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

In her presentation, Fiza Qureshi of the Indus Consortium said the gap between the rich and poor throughout the world was appalling and this gap along with rising poverty was causing a gender disparity, lack of education among other problems.

Quoting statistics, she said just eight men owned the same wealth as the poorest half of the world. As growth was benefiting the richest, the rest of society, especially the poor, suffered badly.

“It is said the market must determine everything and the government should not intervene but this is the very point of argument that ends up exploiting the poor and even the middle classes.”

Ms Qureshi said the income of the poorest 10pc of people had increased only by less than three dollars a year from 1988 to 2011 while that of the richest one per cent had increased 182 times.

“There was more complex situation in poor countries where one in nine persons was still going to bed hungry.”

Fiza Qureshi said that due to rampant poverty labourers, especially female workers, were being exploited, and added that there was no minimum wage applied while they were forced to work because of lack of other skills.

Speaking about solutions, ehe said Oxfam and Indus Consortium had developed some solutions to counter the situation.

“The government should work for 99pc people and it must listen to all not just a wealthy minority. The governments must cooperate not compete, and countries must work together to achieve these goals. Companies must also work for the benefit of everyone not just a handful of spenders; the proceeds of business activity should go to those who took part in making it.”

Ms Qureshi said a human economy would work for gender equality too with both men and women having an equal chance in life.

“Technology must be harnessed for the 99pc which can have an immense effect. A human economy must also be powered by sustainable renewable energy as fossil fuels are incompatible with the environment. We need to measure human progress beyond the GDP,” said Fiza.

Representatives from Layyah, Rajanpur and Multan districts were also present on the occasion where they spoke about their problems.

“We cannot afford to even think of sending our children to school,” said Bakhtan Bibi from Layyah. “There is no shade for miles on end and children cannot be expected to walk for such distances in the blazing sun. Besides, our annual expenditures are barely covered,” she added.

Mohammad Ramzan from Layyah was of the view that small farmers did not receive any benefits and the government hardly gave them subsidy.

“Whatever subsidy we get is made up through other means. There are big taxes on every little thing from a matchbox or a mobile phone card where there is around 25 percent tax.”

He said that the poor were being kept backward on purpose. “When we go to the market with our produce to sell, we have to pay tax while when we buy our raw material we also have to pay tax.”

Zahid Fareed from Rajanpur said that the government should buy from small farmers.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2017