Even by the standards of Pakistan's interminably unstable system, the last three weeks in the country have been remarkably tumultuous. The recent rains in Pakistan have broken the 30-year record, with 400 children dead and 18,000 schools damaged, as per the UNICEF report. The floods have damaged irrigation worth Rs 13 billion; Pakistan is in the grip of an acute climate emergency. Meanwhile, IMF has set tougher benchmarks for Pakistan, asking the current government to collect Rs 855 billion from the people by increasing the petroleum levy. There is political uncertainty in the country, while the government remains in a struggle to find its footing. As if this was not enough, August inflation in Pakistan has hit 27.3%, highest in 49 years.
Parliamentary elections are not due until next year, and Sharif can stay in office until October 2023 as long as he retains support of the majority in parliament. But the specter of political conflict, along with an economic meltdown, has led the system to the brink of collapse. Shehbaz Sharif's confidence of when he stepped in as prime minister is being casted doubt upon. It is only normal that we are impugning his capacity as a good administrator. Pakistan's boisterous societies have identified our extreme dependence on external assistance and borrowing, the prime cause of why we are where we are.
Exactly on April 11, 2022, Sharif vowed to revive the economy. It is certainly not a two-day business, but even little progress is hard to be seen. Whether it is the economic situation we discuss or the flood disasters, the government was ill-prepared for all turbulence which happened recently. The new coalition government is struggling to consolidate control, and the only real aid coming for the flood-affected is from outside the borders, whether it's the foreign governments we talk about, or overseas Pakistanis. It is considerable that Pakistanis and NGOs are doing what they can to help the victims, but what is not considerable is the political leaders' way of helping. Shehbaz Sharif, together with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, was seen throwing ration at the flood victims during their fancy helicopter ride. MNA Gilani washed his feet with mineral water, sitting amidst the flood victims, making a mockery out of their misfortune. PPP's Manzoor Wassan made insensitive remarks and compared flood-hit Khairpur with Italy's Venice. Chief Minister of KPK was waving and smiling at the flood victims from his helicopter. Imran Khan visited the flood-affected areas on a helicopter. It's like Generation Z would call it, "Sympathy much?" Throwing food to
victims in the most dignified way as our PM deems it, washing feet with with mineral water, aren't these truly honorable acts?
It has been 4 months and 23 days since Sharif came into power, but our country's state has only worsened. Inflation, climate change, water shortage, foreign debts, structural defects in urban areas, our problems our only growing. Hope eyes a ramshackle Pakistan, which is slowly falling to pieces under a clumsy government and exploited public.