The country’s traditional friends are likely to come to our rescue, once again. They will be lending us a helping hand with a view to propelling our beleaguered foreign exchange reserves that have reduced so much so that they can hardly provide a cover for one month’s import or so.

According to finance minister Ishaq Dar, friendly countries have announced their support which will help improve depleting forex reserves in the country. Who has brought us to this pass? Military and civilian governments alike.

We are a cash-strapped country. That is why the government has announced early closure of markets, malls and wedding halls with a view to conserving energy because the country is no longer able to foot the energy import bill.

An air of uneasiness and melancholy has surrounded the nation amid growing political bickerings. There’s a discernable mood of gloom and despondency in the country. There appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

Nothing seems to be working. The PDM government has done nothing much since it came to power. The undistinguished commoner lacking special attributes has been hit hard by soaring inflation and price hikes.

The current situation requires a fundamental change in the governance of the country, which will be the key to all other necessary changes.

Naheed Mirza (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023