Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has once again announced to begin country-wide protest from today. This time the protest will be against the rising inflation. Before this the party has staged several protests including Long March during last eight months against the incumbent government and for early general polls in the country. This will be the PTI first protest against inflation after former prime minister was ousted by no-confidence motion in April this year.
No doubt, inflation is one of the biggest issues of the country nowadays, and it is a constitutional and democratic right of a political party to protest against it, so, to force the government to provide some relief to the public affected by high prices. But the current economic situation of the country is totally different in which the government is completely unable to provide any immediate relief to the masses even if it tries it best. So, it will not be wrong to say that the PTI protest against inflation will be meaningless in this situation. By this protest PTI can gain political benefits but as far as the inflation issue is concerned it cannot be solved by protesting.
Before condemning present government for rising inflation, one must keep in mind these facts. Firstly, that inflation is not the issue of Pakistan, it is a global issue nowadays. Secondly, this issue was also existed in previous government, and that government had failed to bring prices down despite public protest. Thirdly, protest is not the solution of inflation, instead of solving the issue, it will cause further increase in it, as protest will bring more political uncertainty in the country which will directly affect the already fragile economy. Fourthly, the issue cannot be solved by changing the government. The next government will also face the same issue, may be in a more intensive form.
Rising inflation can be control only after steering the country out of current economic crisis, and for this Charter of Economy is necessary, but unfortunately, PTI is not ready for this. This is clear evidence that this party is not sincerely want to solve the issue of rising inflation so that the people have a sigh of relief. Protesting at the name of rising inflation is nothing, but a tactic to deceive the public and to gain vested interest.
