The government and people of Pakistan have the same approach to begging – Newspaper

PAKISTAN is struggling with many problems and so are its people. The level of desperation among people is abundantly clear. The number of beggars has reached such a level that even taxi drivers and delivery boys are asking for money in addition to the tips they usually receive from their clients. Inflation has brought people to their knees and they are doing everything they can to survive.

The problem is that we have become desensitized to begging and seeking credit. The Prime Minister himself recently used the phrase “beggars can’t be choosers” and similar sentiments were repeatedly echoed by his predecessor.

However, both governments did the right thing by turning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for loans in the interests of the state and its people. The problem is not finding loans; it’s how we ask them and what we do when we receive money.

Ironically, both the government and people of Pakistan have the same approach in this regard. They persistently ask, as if everyone owes them money simply because they are poor. They beg because they need money and want to make things easier for them. And once they get it, they spend it on luxury items without addressing the underlying problems. The government and people of Pakistan tend to seek loans and then spend them on short-term projects for short-term benefits.

Africa has received aid over the past few decades, but little has changed on the ground. We are going the same way. The government needs to realize that the loans we receive are not meant for the present; they are meant to fix our future. Once the government makes the necessary adjustments in its approach to loans, people will also follow suit. With hope.

Affan Khattak
Islamabad

Published in Dawn magazine November 3, 2024