Many people are calling the recent inflation of food prices world wide a silent tsunami. As we have covered it at ATP before, Pakistan is also facing this crisis. In case of Pakistan it can also be argued that the cause of inflation here is as much internal (e.g. Govt policy and food hoarding) as it is external (e.g. oil prices, world rice price). Before the topic gets too serious, how about this ‘sher’ which remains one of my favourites.
A friend recently forwarded me the food price list of a ‘bachat bazaar’ of Pakistan. It is an eye opener. That sample price list and the translation of above Urdu ‘sher’ for our English readership is below (next page).
Price List of Korangi Crossing Bachat Bazar and Bhittai Colony Market for the week ending on May 19, 2008:
Vegetables:
Potato Rs12/Kg,
Tomato Rs15/Kg,
Onion Rs10/Kg,
Cucumber Rs15/Kg,
Pumpkin Rs25/Kg,
Cabbage Rs20/Kg,
Cauliflower Rs30/kg,
Peas Rs20/Kg,
Ladyfinger Rs25/Kg,
Spinach Rs15/Kg
Following photo shows a man in Karachi walking past by a flashy billboard after securing a bag of wheat flour from a Government subsidized utility stores. (Photo AP, May 15, 2008)
Meat:
Beef boneless Rs210/kg,
Beef with bones Rs180/kg,
Chicken Rs180/kg,
Mutton Rs300/kg
Groceries:
Gram pulse Rs58/kg
Mash pulse Rs64/kg
Rice (Kernel) Rs105/kg
Rice (Saila) Rs95/kg
Rice (Tota) Rs55/kg
Ghee Rs120/kg
Flour Rs26/kg
Sugar Rs26/kg
There are daily news appearing in National media where police is discovering large quantities of wheat and other commodities hoarded by all kinds of people and business interests. If the prices continue to rise like this then people will definitelt come out on the streets. May be some early signs of people’s frustration coming out on streets in various forms e.g. here and here is a pre-cursor to a bigger tide that may follow if a common man’s misery is not addressed.
Here I also want to quote the words of an American agronomist and winner of nobel peace prize Dr Norman Ernest Borlaug who was instrumental in the green revolution of 60s. He said:
One can not built peace on empty stomach and human misery
And now a non-poetic translation of Urdu poetry given in black-and-white at the top goes like following. I apologize in advance because translation of Urdu poetry by an un-experienced hand like me will totally destroy its beauty. Hopefully the message gets conveyed:
As pulses and vegetables are getting expensive
What is left for my beloved to do in the Kitchen?
Now our relationship has reached a point
Where I say ‘love love’ and she replies ‘Onion Onion’
Urdu Poetry Credits: I don’t know who is the poet of above ‘sher’. If someone let us know then we will be very glad to credit the poet here.
Sense of humour- without food???????????? I really appreciate Maryam’s sense of humour. A country where 74% of the population is living below poverty line (earning less than USD2 a day) and long ques are visible at utility stores, where the class differences are so broad.Powerless tax payers and a very “powerful” army to enjoy all the luxuries of life at the cost of 160 million poverty strucken poor.
Street crimes, vigilante justice >>>>>>>>>>>>sense of humour>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
;)
@temporal,
thanks for the sarcasm; however, all of the issues of food, clean water, decent housing go back to the idea of justice. No one is implying that the political parties should work towards restoration (or rather, establishment) of the judiciary at the expense of other extremely important issues, such as food prices.
Many people argue that the restoration of the old judiciary is not very important since it’ll simply bring back the old judges. However, I’m optimistic that the restoration will give birth to an empowered, independent group who will realize that they have to deliver.
Did any of you people find it ridiculous as i do … when you see the highly paid Hamid mir and other media geniuses repeatedly doing programmes on this one issue alone, day in and day out? This so called free media people are nothing more then pathetic paid spokespersons of some parties and leaders.
Owais saheb you will be blacklisted and put on the other ECL – Entry Control List– when you try to visit Pakistan!
How dare you attempt to divert attention?
There is only one issue that has to be tackled first and foremost – the restoration of the PCO1 judges!
Let people suffer from hunger, deprivation and death – we want the judiciary restored first ….
Lol @ the lovely urdu poetry. Inspite of the skyrocketing prices of food items and petrol, I am still enjoying the weather in Lahore today. It’s wonderful outside, a relief from God. The poetry bought a smile to my face. May God give us the strength to retain our sense of humour if nothing else.