Eyewash package

This letter refers to the news report ‘PM’s new relief package for masses sent to ECC’ (July 16, 2024). The package increases subsidies on pulses, rice and ghee at utility stores. About two weeks earlier, the PM had himself approved the budget with its respective taxes and subsidies. He is now pretending to be a benevolent ruler by extending relief to the people.

Utility stores are not available to everyone and everywhere and so calling this a relief package is somewhat of a misnomer. It is really eyewash. The package would also not serve the purpose of helping low-income families as utility stores are accessible to both the well-to-do and the poor alike.

Abdul Majeed

Islamabad