Disappointment expressed over caretaker government's performance: Business Recorder Survey of Masses

The unavailability of flour, frequent load-shedding and unprecedented inflation would further erode the vote bank of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) which is already vulnerable after the assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, a general survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
This scribe visited different sectors of the federal capital and interviewed a number of people belonging to various segments of the society, who expressed their disappointment over the poor performance of the caretaker government, holding the PML-Q responsible for the mess created during its five-year rule giving the country gifts of inflation, bad governance and lawlessness.
For the last one month, people have been much perturbed over the unresolved 'atta' crisis, load shedding, gas shortage and skyrocketing prices of the essential commodities including LPG, vegetable, ghee, milk etc.
The shocking incident of December 27 coupled with wheat crisis, load shedding and price-hike significantly jolted the vote bank of PML-Q considering it part and parcel of the caretaker government as well as close to the President camp.
People had to abruptly change their sympathies towards the two mainstream political parties-PPP and PML-N, which not only felt by the general public but also by the Q-League and had to make hectic efforts to postpone the election schedule till February 15.
Sabbir Ahmed Khan, a government employee living in G-6 sector said that Q-League has given us nothing except lawlessness, inflation and unending crisis of flour, ghee and sugar and it would be a repetition of a mistake if vote was given to its candidates.
"Poor people like me have abandoned thinking to educate their children after the food crisis as we are buying one kilogram of 'atta' for Rs 25 and the irony is that the flour is rarely available even at this unacceptable rate", he said. Rehman Khan, working in a private office said that he was earning Rs 8000 per month but unable to feed his family of four members.
He questioned that how a government employee of lower rank would meet his expenses with a purse of Rs 4500 as basic wage fixed by the government. When asked to whom he intended to cast his vote, Rehman remarked that he would definitely cast his vote in favour of PPP as he sees a ray of hope despite the fact that its chairperson was assassinated.
Rizwan Aslam, an engineer, asked what the Q-League has given to the people during the last five years and there is no justification for it to ask vote from the frustrated public. "There is no peace, no welfare, no check and balance. We should reject them in the elections to remind them of their bad governance," he added. A shopkeeper in Aabpara market on the condition of anonymity lamented that government has failed to overcome the crisis-after-crisis as the businessmen were among the top losers round the year due to protests, strikes and load shedding without any respite.
He was of the opinion that only a mainstream party like PPP and PML could bring the country out of this burgeoning crisis. He counted that LGP sold at Rs 60 one month back, has increased to Rs 90 at present whereas flour is not available even at Rs 22 per kg.
Anwer Ali, a student, favours to vote for those who could fight against terrorism and extremism whether it is PML-Q PPP or any other party to save the country from any other crisis. Khadeeja, a political activist, asked the people to vote for those who could understand the problems of the masses instead of to those who merely filled government's 'khazana' without giving any relief to common man.