Editorial : Victims of poverty
A most heart-rendering episode was witnessed at the Edhi Foundation, when three families, ravaged by the growing menace of poverty and inflation, were left with no other option to abandon their eight children at the mercy of others. Some of the poor souls, who were mature enough to understand how they had been deserted, cried in a state of agony and the scenes were absolutely painful to watch. Yes this is Pakistan. This incident reflects exactly the state of affairs in our country. The growing burden of inflation has taken its toll so harshly on the common masses that they are even unable to raise their young. And this is only one such report of child abandoning. There are a large number of incidents taking place at a growing pace where parents leave their offspring at doors of the Edhi Centre or in the cradle placed outside. How many more innocent souls are destined to be raised in a charity house? By the looks of the direction in which this country is heading, a major population of our coming generation would be deserted by parents owing to the prevailing excruciating conditions. The prices of the most essential items that include flour, vegetables, lentils etc, let alone chicken or beef, have increased to such shocking levels that the majority of people in the country, living on an average income of roughly around Rs 160 a day, are simply unable to afford them. The tears rolling down the cheeks of one the abandoned children in a picture that has been carried by most dailies should serve as a slap on the face of the country’s managers and should remind them of their inability to give relief to the common man. The picture mocks those who make tall claims about providing basic necessities to the people and avail all the luxuries in the world, but do nothing in practical. They thrive on the notion of all words and promises but no actual results. In general, the tears in the child’s eyes should also serve as an embarrassment for all the well-off people in the country who whine about their profits dipping following the current economic crisis, but fail to take note of the majority of the population that is deprived of even decent two-time meals. In fact it is a shame for the entire nation.
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