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The past decade has seen unprecedented growth in the Paksitani economy, but the growth has left a large section of the society behind. The government still has more than $12 Billlion in funds up from $300 million in 1999. The exponential rise in oil and food prices around the globe have exacerbated the situation in Pakistan. Groundless, unfounded and irreisponsible partisan statements made by the new ministers of the new government aggravated the economic situation and instigated a fleet of capital from the country.

Sensational reporting by the partisan press has made a fragile situation worse.

The government is starting a “Benazir Card” for the poorest of the poor which will be electronically filled. Learning from the American experience in welfare reform, the government should take adequate steps to prevent abuse, and corruption in the system. One of the simplest ways that the card will be abused is by theft, or by purchasing the card for a lesser amount or by giving the card to undeserving people. The card can also be abused by using it for unnecessary purchases of non-food or luxury items.

Imran Khan has recommended starting soup kitchen (langars) in all major cities for the poorest of the poor. The US and Europe convened soup kitchens during the depression, times of war and during bad economic times. Even during good times American churches run soup kitchens for the poor.

Pakistan has “langars” going on the graves of most famous sufi saints and in some mosques. Civil society must rise up to the equation and volunteer services and goods to run “langars” (soup kitchens) for the penury stricken millions who have been left behind by the economic growth of the past decade.

The media can help not by constantly running a diatribe on how expensive food items are, but by asking the civil society to actively participate in food kitchens (langars) in all major cities of the US.

The new government must take immediate steps to regularize the the “katchi abadis’ and use the Turkish model to build private-public partnerships to build low cost housing and low cost high rise buildings which will house the poor. The US built housing project for the poor. This not only provided unemployment opportunities for the poor but gave a stake to the poor in their own homes.

The National Development Volunteer Program (NDVP) started by Bhutto used a cadre of young enthusiastic but employed men and women who worked for a stipend and built projects. In the US dams, tunnels and road were built by young men who were unemployed and poor.

Benazir Card for seven million poor: Democracy achieved after great sacrifices: Zardari

* PPP co-chairman says govt will offer drinks and flowers to lawyers at end of long march
* Delegation being sent to US to seek free wheat

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) achieved democracy after great sacrifices and will continue on the democratic path with dignity, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Friday.

“The PPP is a mature party and will move forward on the path of democracy through a policy of dialogue. It sacrificed the life of its leader to reach this point. This does not mean we will stop here. We will move forward with dignity,” he said.

Talking to reporters after a Socialist International Asia-Pacific Committee meeting, he said the government was introducing targeted subsidies through a card-based system in the forthcoming budget. The ‘Benazir Cards’ will be given to seven million people living below the poverty line, he said, adding that a subsidy amount would be transferred to the cards every month.

On President Pervez Musharraf’s possible impeachment, Zardari said it was the job of politicians and the people should let them do their job. He said the proposed constitutional package was in its final stages and would be introduced in parliament after consultations with all coalition partners, especially the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Drinks and flowers: “Law Minister Farooq H Naek is giving the final touches to the package. He will meet me soon to seek final approval. It will be tabled in parliament after consultations with all coalition partners. We want to take all like-minded political forces onboard,” he added. He said the government would present the lawyers with flowers and drinks when they reached Islamabad after completing their long march. He said he did not believe in any countdown for the resolution of the prevailing political or judicial crises.

Commenting on the prevailing energy crisis in the country, he said the previous government had not evolved an effective strategy to meet the growing demand of electricity and expressed the resolve to overcome the problem.

Free wheat: Zardari said a delegation was being sent to the United States to try to convince its administration to help Pakistan overcome its food crisis through a free wheat supply. He also asked Socialist International to support the PPP’s demand for an independent United Nations probe into Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

On the occasion, Socialist International Secretary General Luis Ayala thanked the people of Pakistan for hosting the Asia-Pacific Committee Meeting, APP reported. He said the committee had delegated Zardari to lead a peace mission to Myanmar to urge the dictatorial regime to release detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also a member of the society.