Earlier this year, the 2018 World Happiness Report declared Finland the happiest nation on earth. But what is it that has made this Nordic country such a happy place to live in? An element of trust bind the people and the government. While people in Finland pay the highest amount of taxes, they are happy to do so. This is because they receive free education and healthcare from the government. These facilities go a long way in keeping the people happy. Apart from Finland, there are other Nordic countries that provide a number of facilities to citizens. For example, in Denmark, parents receive child care benefits. Also, higher education in the country is free for citizens. In Pakistan, however, people enter the workforce at a young age to earn enough money to ensure the survival of their families. The scarce number of public hospitals is not enough to cater to healthcare needs . The quality of public school is unsatisfactory and private schools charge a fortune. Almost every person in our country is leading a stressful life, worried about finances. Senior citizens receive peanuts in the name of pension and EOBI benefit. Our government needs to learn from these happy countries and follow in their footsteps to introduce people-friendly policies. The government’s top priority should be the welfare of the people.
Owais Khalid
Karachi