Desperate times

As I was recently crossing University Road, Karachi, I noticed a man standing on the side of the road and asking for a ride. He seemed to be in a desperate need to get home. Feeling empathy towards him, I offered him a ride. He told me that he didn’t even have 30 rupees to pay for local transportation. He worked as a security guard with a monthly salary of Rs15000 but still had to ask his employer for a loan to provide food for his family. However, his employer had delayed his salary for another 15 days and he was left without any means to support his family.

This is the reality of many poor and lower-middle-class families in our society, who are struggling to survive in the face of rising inflation. It is the responsibility of politicians and the elite class to help those in need. Unfortunately, the few able to help are unwilling, and so millions of our people go to bed hungry while millions more do the same worrying if this will be the last night they can sleep on a full belly.

Ghulamshah Kalhoro

Karachi