It is pertinent to engrain the passion of self-sufficiency to curb the economic struggles and take meaningful steps towards this goal. ‘Making Pakistan by Pakistanis” is the best way to go.
Karachi’s population is growing. The NFC share of 4 million permanent residents of KPK – who have made Karachi/Sindh their home – should be transferred to Sindh. These millions of residents moved from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Karachi for employment, thereby increasing the population of the financial hub. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa receives a share in the NFC award showing these 4 million Karachi residents among its population while they receive civic amenities from Sindh’s resources. Our demand is from the parliament that NFC share of 4 million permanent residents of KPK should be transferred to Sindh and those funds be given to Karachi Municipality.
To end load shedding and generate more power, alternative energy like wind, solar and coal power is necessary. Natural gas or Sui gas is used abundantly in automobile use. The natural gas reserves need to be utilized in power generation instead as it will reduce the costs. To ensure collection of bills and dues, prepaid system of payment is a better solution. With the help from China, we need to explore the opportunities of generating power through cheaper alternative sources.
On the other hand, Food insecurity is on the rise in Punjab due to declining purchasing power. Inequitable distribution of resources, sharp rise in food prices and smuggling of food to Afghanistan worsen the issue further. Thus, removing bottlenecks for equitable access to food is imperative.
The state of looting economic resources is such that after defense and railways, most of the land is under the control of 800 families. We appealed to the policy makers to ensure equitable distribution of resources, and control food prices in the markets that on “social media” and remove the Afghan burden on the economy. Control of the demand and supply mechanisms for daily use products is necessary to ensure that people bear lesser burden.
Pakistan is blessed with vegetation and seasonal fruits. The South Punjab is blessed with loads of fruits, crops, vegetables and especially Mangoes. They can be a great source of foreign exchange and export. It can earn us more than 20 to 30 billion dollars.
Uniform education system and curriculum should be implemented to end the difference between poor and rich. Steps for bridging the gap between the poor and rich are significant to move forward. In Education and Health Departments, retired professionals and civil servants should be recruited to make these departments functional and productive.
Tax reforms are the need of the hour. Tax must be collected from the landlords on their agricultural income. Regular tax payers play a key role in revenue generation. They must be provided with good services and exclusive privileges. Also, to attract investors, special incentives should be given. For example, soft loans from banks be made accessible. Mere tall claims of tax reforms are not enough. A strong and comprehensive plan to encourage the upper class to pay taxes is needed.
Monetary and fiscal institutions need special care as they deal with the revenue and investment portfolios. The wastage of public funds creates new burden on the economy and needs to be checked through practical measures. State Owned Enterprises and institutions should curb their expenses. Similarly, lavish expenses of public representatives should be cut. Moreover, Fiscal deficit needs revision and should be lessened. Austerity measures and savings are necessary to reduce the expenses of the government. These resources should be diverted towards the development of the people. Softer interest on agricultural and business loans and Interest free loans to farmers should be made a possibility. For instance, Kisan Credit Card can be issued to small farmers.
Giving access and connectivity to the Central Asian states to the warm waters can earn us billions of dollars annually.