PAKISTAN’S battered economy has delivered yet another blow to ordinary households, this time in the form of a staggering 50% increase in fixed gas charges, deepening the sense of despair among millions already struggling to make ends meet.

For families across the country, the monthly gas bill, once a manageable expense, is fast becoming a luxury a few can afford. The move, introduced quietly by the government without changing the per-unit gas tariff, has nonetheless triggered widespread anger and confusion. The sharp increase in fixed charges, levied on households regardless of consumption, disproportionately affects the lower and middle-income segments. For many, the latest hike represents not just an economic burden but also a symbol of how detached policymakers have become from the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.

Years of fiscal mismanagement, political instability and external debt dependency have pushed the country to the brink. With foreign exchange reserves precariously low and repeated IMF bailouts dictating austerity measures, the space for government subsidies and social protections has virtually disappeared. The gas sector, long plagued by inefficiencies, theft and underinvestment, has become a prime target for revenue generation — but at a devastating human cost. Rather than reforming structural inefficiencies or curbing elite exemptions, the State has chosen to shift the burden onto the masses. The 50% jump in fixed gas charges comes at a time when the........

© Pakistan Observer