Pakistan's Naan-Sense: Its anxiety over roti and naan prices shows Pakistan’s economic situation is dire!
Roti becomes cheaper but fuel becomes dearer. We have an easier solution to this conundrum for Pakistan.
Maulana Masood Azhar is arrested. The United States approves $125 million worth military support for Pakistani F-16 fighter jets.
But the moment Pakistan thought ‘achhe din’ had finally descended on them, it finds itself in a soup!
Only, there is no soup — dry roti and naan are too much to gulp down as they have become too costly. So much so that Prime Minister Imran Khan had to convene an important meeting to decide that this can’t go on — the prices of roti and naan have to be reduced.
At present, the price of naan in Pakistan is somewhere between Rs 12 and Rs 15, while a roti is available at Rs 10 to Rs 12.
Before June 30, the situation was different — a naan was available at Rs 8 or Rs 10. A roti was available at Rs 7 to Rs 8.
Why did the prices go up?
Breaking it down in layman’s language:
Nobody in Pakistan was in the good habit of paying taxes. A 17% General Sales Tax was there. It was not hiked in the Budget. But probably, Imran Khan’s government was stern about its collection and so, the business community went up in arms. They decided to hike the prices of bread.
Now, this affected the hoi polloi of Pakistan because bread and naan are the staple food of Pakistanis.
And the Imran Khan government can’t burn its fingers over bread.
So, time for a rollback.
Gas prices will be reduced — for tandoorwallas. And the prices of wheat will be reduced too.
But, at the same time, petrol and diesel prices have been increased by over Rs 5. Petrol will now cost Rs 117.83 a litre.
Won’t that increase the prices of fruits, grains and vegetable?
Yes, of course.
And going forward like this, how does Pakistan even expect to ever come off the see-saw of bad economic practices? If the price of 'A' goes up, logically, it has to reduce the price of 'B' to restore the balance. This comtinual balancing act will not give Pakistan anything — except dizziness.
And indigestion.
We know it's a matter of tradition. But, in this case, one should accept all those reports that say bread is not good for health.
So, for the health of both Pakistan and Pakistanis, staying away from all food seems to be easier!