Here comes Ramadan - for the benefit of the ordinary and extra-ordinary

Every now and then I find a message from a good Muslim that tells others to brace for the scared month of Ramadan - the audience includes both the ordinary and extra-ordinary (though not intended at all).

For the ordinary Muslims, it is a month of forgiveness, bag immense and countless bounties that Allah showers on its worshipers. These ordinary Muslims thrive mosques for evening prayers, stand for more than hour to listen to the recitation of the Holy Quran and return home to wake up from just a few hours of sleep to get ready for another day of fasting.

But ever wondered that during the Traveh prayers, there are also some extra-ordinary Muslims, who too offer their prayers with immense concentration and 'khuzo-o-khushoo' but when they go to the business the next day, they are different men altogether. From looking like the ordinary the night before, they become extra-ordinary when it comes to business.

And then starts a day of manipulating prices, holding on to stocks to allow the prices to rise and then sell merchandise at rates higher than the ordinary - far above the reach of the ordinary.

Although it is just days before the Ramadan sets in, when I went out to buy meat today, I found meat shops empty. I was told that the prices of goats has suddenly sky rocketed and it is difficult for them to buy them. Likewise poultry prices are already touching Rs. 200 (dressed). And if that is not all - pakora vendors will soon mushroom on roadside to sell the much liked fast-breaking food at prices that one can only afford to eat a couple of these expensive but almost essential item of Ifrar.

So by the time the Ramadan finishes, the extra-ordinary would have swelled their bank accounts looted from the ordinary and the faithful and would then embark upon for Umrah for a business well done - thanking the Almighty for His blessings.

I was recently in Germany just before Christmas - and I found big stores putting on their merchandise on sale, some even up to 70% - allowing the ordinary to enjoy Christmas. I did not see any price hike and it everything just looked festive - not in a fleecing mood at all.

And I just wondered where have we gone astray - why we forget the basic teachings of Islam which have been adopted by others - others whom we keep cursing the day long. But have we ever pondered why Allah's blessings do not reach us?

I leave the answer for you. Happy Ramadan anyway !!

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Sugar is injurious to health – Health Ministry

We have been reading similar signs on the cigarette pickings that smoking is injurious to health, courtesy the Health Ministry. But this doesn’t seem to have any effect on the smokers as the cigarettes continue to sell as before and the tobacco growers and cigarette manufacturing companies continue to earn bag loads of profits. Who cares of the long term consequences if one is addicted to smoking?

Dejected by the mere notifications on the cigarette packs, the Ministry of Health is about to issue a new notification, “Sugar is injurious to health.” This time the ministry has done its home work and with the collaboration of Ministry of Food, which has allowed the price hike of sugar to an unprecedented level of over Rs. 100 a kg. Now the new notification may help in the reduction of sugar consumption. But would it? Eating sweets or taking a cup of tea with 2-3 teaspoons full is perhaps the only “luxury” a poor used to enjoy. Now with the soaring prices of sugar, this luxury will also be taken away from the poor.

In fact the price hike of sugar is based on the novel idea of the Ministry of Power, which had been advertising on TV channels which read, “If something is expensive, we must use it carefully and minimally.” So the people of Pakistan: Use less sugar as it is expensive.

And as if this would be the end to their miseries. The Ministry of water and power, which could not control the water of floods, is all set to electrocute the nation with a new power price formula which will push the country into utter darkness and chaos. And then the Ministry of Power will issue its warning: Electricity is injurious to health or even Water is injurious to health…..

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October 2010 - the bombshell month

Be ready folks – a bombshell is in waiting. Under (no)pressure from the IMF or the World Bank, the GST is going to be imposed on some seventy plus items, the detail of which is quite interesting. I cannot list the details, as the bombshell list contains everything a common citizen requires. The imposition of this added tax has not even spared the holy books, which clearly shows on whose behest the tax is being levied. Here I quote yet another item: the diapers for the elderly. If unluckily, an elderly bed ridden patient is in your house, be warned to fill your basements with everything (including the diapers for the sick patient) you can to survive the first shock wave that is going to hit the country in a few months time.

The net effect of pay and pension increase for the government servants only would be totally nullified by October. As for others, who are dependent on the organizations for salary increase will be hit even harder as very many organizations did not reciprocate. Already there is an upward trend of suicides in the country due to poverty, lack of job opportunities and soaring prices of household commodities. One wonders what would become of the poor and very poor who have no door to knock at to alleviate their sufferings. And yet the budget 2010 was a people’s friendly budget. I only wonder how?

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