THIS Eidul Fitr is amongst the toughest in decades, as record, backbreaking inflation threatens to take the middle classes under, while the poor have already been hammered and pushed deeper into poverty by high prices.

On this day, families gather to have a meal together, children show off new outfits and react with glee to the crisp notes collected as eidi. However, for many households, the country’s dire economic situation has snatched even these small joys of Eid as people struggle to stay afloat.

There are numerous reasons for our predicament. But arguably, our perpetually warring elite — the politicians, establishment as well as other state institutions — share much of the blame.

They indulge in Byzantine intrigues while people toil to put food on the table. Decades of financial mismanagement have brought us to this pass. Still, the elite remain oblivious to the suffering of the common man.

At the other end, those deprived of food literally risk their lives for a bag of flour.

In addition, there are forces beyond our control; ie, the global economic downturn and several wars, both hot and cold, being waged near and far. All these factors have combined to aggravate the economic situation as never before.

Tens of thousands have lost their jobs; in fact, according to some estimates, the layoffs have been in the millions. Assembly lines have come to a grinding halt, while factories have shut down. Breadlines have grown, as the poor and the ‘new poor’ struggle to secure two square meals a day. The prices of staples — flour, rice, cooking oil, fuel — have gone through the roof, decimating domestic budgets.

It is in the midst of this economic storm that Pakistan celebrates Eid today. As media reports have noted, people are cutting back on critical expenses, compromising even on education and healthcare.

But elsewhere in the Muslim world, there seems to be a flicker of hope. After a long, tense stand-off, Saudi Arabia and Iran have decided to mend fences. This has impacted the Syrian and Yemeni conflicts, which means that, hopefully, the extended nightmare the people of these war-scarred countries have suffered may soon end.

For Pakistan’s resilient people — who have survived major disasters in decades past, such as the break-up of the country — there is a need to counter the all-pervading hopelessness and gloom.

Times are very tough, but with perseverance and hard work, the nation can overcome its formidable obstacles — that is, if the rulers choose to mend their ways, focus on the people’s needs, and work to create a democratic welfare state that can stand on its own feet.

These are admittedly difficult goals for our selfish elite. But the sincere hope is that by next Eid, Pakistan will be on the road to recovery.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2023