HRCP and JAC Urge Pakistan Government to Address Economic Crisis
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Joint Action Committee of Pakistan (JAC) have issued a strong statement urging the government to take immediate action to alleviate the worsening economic crisis affecting millions of Pakistani citizens.
Key Demands
At a press conference, notable participants including JAC Convenor Irfan Mufti, HRCP Secretary-General Harris Khalique, and rights activist Mohammad Tahseen, among others, called for:
- Price controls on essential goods like staple foods and medicines
- Subsidized access to electricity, gas, potable water, connectivity, and public transportation for working-class households
- Raising the minimum wage in direct proportion to inflation
- Fair wages for women in the informal sector
- Expansion of social safety net programs
- Universal access to pensions, healthcare, and unemployment benefits
- Allocating 4-6% of GDP annually to education and health
Long-term Solutions
The groups also advocated for a shift from regressive to progressive taxation and demanded transparency regarding the status and terms of repayment of loans from multilateral bodies. They called for a comprehensive debt audit to facilitate debt retirement and reparations.
Call to Action
HRCP Treasurer Husain Naqi concluded the meeting by urging civil society to launch a mass movement to pressure political parties to prioritize the interests of the working class over those of the establishment.
Doubts Revealed
HRCP -: HRCP stands for Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. It’s a group that works to protect people’s rights in Pakistan.
JAC -: JAC stands for Joint Action Committee of Pakistan. It’s a group of different organizations working together to solve problems in Pakistan.
economic crisis -: An economic crisis is when a country has big money problems, like high prices and not enough jobs.
price controls -: Price controls are rules set by the government to keep the cost of things like food and fuel from getting too high.
subsidized utilities -: Subsidized utilities mean the government helps pay for things like electricity and water so people can afford them.
fair wages -: Fair wages mean getting paid enough money for the work you do so you can live comfortably.
social safety nets -: Social safety nets are programs that help people who are having a hard time, like giving them money or food.
progressive taxation -: Progressive taxation means that people who earn more money pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes.
civil society -: Civil society includes all the groups and organizations that work to make life better for people, like charities and community groups.
