Pakistan was created by its founders so that every citizen would have an equal chance to grow, prosper and move up the social ladder. However, very soon this idea was usurped by a few who confined prosperity, wealth, and power to their kith and kin. Thus, 75 years down the road, one percent of Pakistan is beneficiary of this usurped wealth and power handed down by their forefathers.
This usurpation of power leading to a social divide in existing Pakistan has recently been highlighted by a minister when he termed the country a ‘one percent republic’ that offers no upward social mobility to an overwhelming majority of its citizens. He claimed that there is something very wrong with Pakistan, as one percent of Pakistan controls this country. Minister has repeated his claims at various forums which include IBA and CFA Society. He cited the example of how Rs 580 billion was distributed among the one percent of Pakistan under the Temporary Economic Refinance Facility.
However, the minister fails to mention how, for borrowing a paltry one billion dollars from IMF, one percent of Pakistan has recently burdened ordinary Pakistan with a tsunami of food inflation and astronomical rise in utility prices. Resultantly, ordinary Pakistan is struggling to make ends meet, and has put a cut on necessities of life such as food, medicine, and utilities. And never during difficult times, any effort has been made by one percent of Pakistan to share some of the ill-gotten wealth with ordinary Pakistan.
To good fortune, a minister has brought glad tidings to ordinary Pakistan and has informed him beforehand that the natural gas shortage would persist for him this winter like the last winter. He has, however, assured ordinary Pakistan that he (one percent of Pakistan) is making every effort to make gas cylinders available to ordinary Pakistan. The minister has assured ordinary Pakistan of the availability of gas at three times: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The minister has blamed the previous government and no improvement in domestic gas production, conveniently forgetting that the incumbent coalition (the one percent Pakistan) has been in power since the creation of Pakistan. Interestingly, one percent of Pakistan in their discourse does not mention whether the calamities which befall ordinary Pakistan are also shared by them such as inflation and gas, water, and electricity shortages.
Presently, one percent of Pakistan is in a shouting match with each other while one-third of the country is underwater. As has been the practice in previous calamities, one percent of Pakistan is asking ordinary Pakistan to donate to the flood victims, but ordinary Pakistan is not sure how much the one percent of Pakistan has donated to the flood victims. But, one percent of Pakistan has made noises that it has provided provisions and is persuading flood affectees to move back to their areas, where malaria and other water-borne diseases are awaiting them.
But then ordinary Pakistan should rest assured that in present times of financial distress, a federal cabinet of more than seventy-two ministers is working ceaselessly to mitigate the miseries of ordinary Pakistan; although many of the cabinet members do not know of their portfolios or duties. And to further buttress the efforts of the federal cabinet, fat provincial cabinets are now in vogue to help improve the standard of living of ordinary Pakistan. Hence, the ordinary Pakistani should not worry: he was, is, and will continue to be in the caring hands of one percent of Pakistan.