FAISALABAD: Weary of the government apathy, people were no longer looking towards it for solution of their grievances. They devise their own strategies to pull through difficult times.

Although people are perturbed over the situation, the government bothers little to resolve issues outright, said Sheikh Ijaz, a businessman.

He said it was not surprising that people were not pouring on roads in large numbers against price-hike, unemployment, deteriorating law and order situation and ill-conceived policies of the government. It was only because that people know that all sorts of protest demonstrations, rallies and full-throated slogans against the government would make no change.

Faisalabad is known as the textile capital of Pakistan and nearly 10 million labourers, directly or indirectly, attached with this sector fetch nearly $ 3 billion of foreign exchange. However, labourers in this textile rich district are now perturbed over poor economic conditions of the country.

Nusrat Bibi, a textile worker, said governments and masses are considered indispensable for each other. In the past, this relationship used to encourage people to come on roads for the acceptance of their legitimate demands, but now situation has changed and people were no more pinning high hopes in the government.

Mehmood Alam, secretary general, Anjuman Tajran City, said that although rush is seen in markets, all those visiting markets cannot be called customers.

He said because of high rates of utilities, price-hike, unemployment and fuel prices, traders were finding it difficult to do business.

He said that the country could have a robust economy, if all those politicians who have shifted their assets abroad are made to bring back wealth to the country.

It would help the country prosper with dignity, he remarked.

Although wage structure has improved, the salaried class is still unable to overcome their expenses, said Afzal Papu, a milkman.

He said once people considered it a sin to mix water in milk, but it was now a routine for every milkman.