Government’s facts & figures on poverty questionable: Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri

Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, senior PAT leader, has said that the number of those living below the poverty line is not 53 million but 100 million and in terms of per centage, it is 60pc of the total population instead of 30pc as being claimed. He said that the government has not spoken truth on the floor of Parliament. He said that the government’s touchstone of branding those earning less than Rs. 101 per day as poor is ridiculous to say the least.

He stated this while talking to senior PAT leaders Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Noorullah Siddiqui, Basharat Jaspal, and Sajid Bhatti. He said that the government has fixed Rs. 14000 as the minimum wage, which is not sufficient to meet even the bare minimum needs of a family. He said that those earning Rs. 14000 per month cannot eat anything after spending on payment of utility bills and rent of the house, adding that expenses in terms of education, health of children, and transpiration are in addition to the ones mentioned above. He said that considering those earning less than Rs. 3030 per month living below the poverty line is the insult of humanity, adding that more expense is spent on a prisoner.

Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri said that Pakistan is the only unfortunate country of South Asia where 60pc of its population cannot get the requisite food intake, children are under-weight and have stunted growth and men do not get needed calories. He said that a major chunk of income is spent on other necessities instead of meeting the food requirements. He said that poverty is on the increase in the country and agriculture, the linchpin of the country’s economy, has been shown negative growth trends in recent years.

The Chairman of MQI Supreme Council said that the real income of farmers has witnessed a marked reduction of 30pc compared to 2012. He said that agriculture package announced by the government is not meant to put agriculture back on track but to win over votes and pacify voters. He said that about 60pc of our population is associated with agriculture but the government took a loan of Rs. 1000 billion for construction on roads, motorways. He said that had this amount been spent on development of agricultural infrastructure, it would have resulted in the growth of GDP by 2pc besides increasing job opportunities and poverty dented. He said that with construction of metros, roads and bridges, electoral campaign can be run but not economy.

Dr Hassan said that despite critical fiscal space, the government gave an increase of 150% in the pay package of the members of parliament and in prices of POL products. He said that increased in the prices of diesel will hit the farmers, adding that this surge has rendered the Kissan package ineffective.