THE problem with Pakistani society is the struggle between its people’s enterprising spirit and the widening social and economic inequality. These two elements are inter-related and have a causal relationship. Therefore, we are stuck in a vicious circle.

Because of increasing inequalities, the enterprising spirit among people urges venality, and, because of venality, the gap is nowhere near shrinking. On top of it, the fiscal policies are discriminatory towards the middle and lower classes.

The amnesty schemes that the governments offer do no good to the majority of the population.

Moreover, the expenditure on the provision of public goods and services is negligible, and that is so because there is no money to spend on the general public in the hands of those who decide their fate.

The question of the previous century was, ‘where is all the money going?’ And until now, we were not courageous enough to point fingers at the relevant people. Now the question is: ‘what are we going to do about it?’

Sassi Bhutto

Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2021