Ramazan: more expensive, less holy

As Ramazan begins in Pakistan, so does the economic strangulation of its citizens – a hellacious cycle that plays out without fail and is as inevitable as the seasonal flu that returns each year to weaken the already frail. While much of the world marks festive seasons with discounts and relief (think of Christmas sales in the West or Diwali price drops in India), Pakistan flips the script: prices soar and what should be a holy month goes off the rails, turning into an economic burden for the average citizen. Why’s the most holy month also the most expensive month?!

Just across the borders India and Iran take steps to ensure affordability during Ramazan. India, for instance, cuts import duties; Iran imposes strict anti-hoarding and price-fixing laws; while here in Pakistan staple foods turn into gold dust, out of reach for low-income households.

The fruit, vegetable, dairy, poultry and meat sellers strike a goldmine every Ramazan, raking in a year’s profits in a month. Producers jack up prices before Ramazan only to roll them back slightly later to feign selflessness — just as textile brands do before mega sales where inflated prices are slashed to create the illusion of discounts. Meanwhile, everyone conveniently blames the government and the government, in turn, brushes off responsibility with hollow political statements.

The Ministry of Finance has already warned that inflation will rise to 4% in March, a sharp rise from January’s 2.41%. This rising inflation is palpable in everyday essentials. Despite official assurances of capping sugar at Rs130 per kg, prices have blown past that limit — nearing Rs180 per kg. This is a familiar story: officials make lofty promises and renege on them, much like the countless price control directives during past Ramazans that rarely saw enforcement.

K-P’s chief secretary recently laid out plans to regulate prices, advertise those prices across media platforms and integrate them into the Performance Management System while directing DCs to ensure stringent oversight. Sounds good on paper! But the real test is in implementation. If it works, the rest should follow suit. But given past failures, enforcement will remain weak and profiteers will keep making a killing.

There’s something to be said about General Ziaul Haq’s era. Controversial as his rule may have been, his Ramazan policies at least enforced some discipline. Fast forward to the present: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveils a Ramazan relief package worth Rs20 billion — far more than last year’s Rs7 billion. But the question remains: will this money properly reach those in need or just fatten the pockets of the usual suspects?

Ramazan should be a time of reflection, generosity, ease, compassion, unity and spiritual renewal. But instead, it brings stress and despair and forces the common man into survival mode, like an economic battlefield where only the wealthiest emerge unscathed. The government must do more than announce relief packages; authorities must ensure that relief actually reaches those who need it most while also cracking down on hoarders, profiteers and black marketers who brazenly cash in on the month of Ramazan. The price control department and administrative bodies must step up – not just for Ramazan, but beyond.

If the state won’t act, the community and volunteers must intervene, but should private charity be a stand-in for governance? People can’t shoulder these burdens year after year; change is not optional, it’s long past due.