DESPITE claims of an improving economy, there is a quiet struggle unfolding across Pakistan today. It does not make noise, nor does it demand attention through protest or confrontation. It lives inside normal homes, in the dim light of a single bulb, in the hesitation before turning on a fan, in the tension that fills a room when the electricity bill arrives. It is the struggle of ordinary Pakistanis trying to survive with dignity in an economy that has slowly, almost imperceptibly, slipped beyond their reach.

For years, we have debated inflation, circular debt, and fiscal reforms. But somewhere along the way, we stopped listening to the people who bear the weight of these failures. The mother who rations electricity so her children can sleep. The shopkeeper who closes early because fuel is too expensive. The young graduate whose first salary cannot cover even half of his monthly expenses. These are not abstract stories. They are the lived reality of millions of Pakistanis.

When we compare ourselves with our neighbors, the picture becomes even more sobering. Electricity in Pakistan costs around nine cents per kilowatt-hour — more expensive than India and Bangladesh. But the........

© Pakistan Observer