Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in E:\inetpub\vhosts\magtheweekly.com\httpdocs\14\national.php on line 69

Warning: include(http://www.magtheweekly.com/skymidpage.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in E:\inetpub\vhosts\magtheweekly.com\httpdocs\14\national.php on line 69

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://www.magtheweekly.com/skymidpage.php' for inclusion (include_path='.;./includes;./pear') in E:\inetpub\vhosts\magtheweekly.com\httpdocs\14\national.php on line 69
If you take time out just for one day and, with an observant eye, look around while moving along the streets and roads of your city or town you will be confronted with the same picture everywhere. Flashy cars with or without flags - sarkari as well as party - and with rolled up windows indicating the cool atmosphere inside, zooming around - with or without escorts. Cut to the shabby and rickety buses overloaded with the excuse for humanity - the common man - gorging and disgorging their cargo (read passengers) at all odd spots.
Look again inside the cooled cars. You will observe over-healthy smug and well fed faces - Cut again to the bus specimens. You will see sweating, frustrated, under-fed and despondent faces. Look again. The man in the street, the man on the bicycle, man in the bazaar, at commodity shops, at the utility stores (of course in queues) waiting patiently to come back empty handed as, either, the commodities like atta, daal, and ghee are finished or he cannot afford to buy them.
Faces, that reflect the inner feelings and emotions of a person. Faces through which you can see the very soul. Just what has happened to more than 80 percent of our faces. 73 percent being those of as per Dr. Khadija Haq’s report, persons living below the poverty line.
A relative visiting from abroad while sitting at a pavement restaurant observed and remarked, “Ayaz, why don’t people have a happy and pleasant look on their faces”? Now you, dear reader, tell him why! I could not, as his remark sent me thinking so now
I am telling him and many others asking the same question.
The very recent rise of Rs 10/= per litre of petrol has added another 10 percent to the existing 80 percent of faces. Diesel, gas, electricity and CNG/LPG are getting out of reach. They effect the price structure of everything needed for the common man’s existance (now survival).
Common man being too common, is not interested in figures, statistics and promises anymore. He is more interested in Attey dal ka bhao which to his chagrin, is spiraling upwards at supersonic speed. He is trying just to hold on to his two ends - let alone meet - desperately. He is frustrated, his wife is despondent, his children wanting - sometimes clamouring and at others ominously quiet - a terrible state. And my relative wants to see happy faces.
This is not on anymore. It would have been bearable had there been REAL shortage. The present state is water, water every where but not a drop to drink.
The problem lies not with availability but with bad policies. Bad, because our policies are not made on common ground and at common levels for the common man but at higher levels on higher grounds and for the higher ones and higher ups.
The real problem lies with our bad and mismanaged distribution systems. Man, by nature is given to waste. The phrase “Waste not want not” is very practical and appeals to the common sense (of the common man?) but quite difficult to practice. So what’s the solution? If it’s short, ration it. Simple, isn’t it? If we are in a desert we ration the water. The key word is ‘guzara’ (to make do). Day in and day out we hear everybody saying “Guzara naheen hota”. Whether its related to food or getting along with ones spouse or friends or colleagues at office or “mohalla dari”, Guzara khud nahin hota - Guzara kia jaat hai.”
So let’s do it. Let not the have-nots suffer due to the recklessness of the affluent ones. Let’s ration our existing commodities of one and all alike, starting immediately with the basic one petrol. As is done in successful companies, corporations and MNC’s petrol allocation of executives is based on their nature of duty and performance - the actual need for the job. Why can’t the government do the same with cars, bike, truck and bus owners. It need’s a little research, analysis and of course, honest home work. Let’s ration our petrol on the number of cars as per their actual need and a little over.
With a limit to availability the owner would use it less and only when needed. He would keep it properly tuned to get the best mileage while at the same time helping our environment by less pollution. Instead of everyone traveling alone in a car, the system of car pooling will automatically be practiced (necessity being mother of invention). This will also result in better family ties and closer associations. There will be lesser vehicles on road at a given time thus improving the traffic situation.
Self control and discipline will be a fringe benefit of this exercise and it will be of immense benefit to the common man as he will receive the trickle down effect in form of lower prices. The same rationing procedure can be practiced with other basic things.
If we ration sugar, instead of having a sweet dish every day we will make do with once or twice a week.
In place of Attey ki roti every day we can alternate it with bajra, makai and baisan ki roti with lehsan ki chatni and a delicacy, too, along with being health foods. We have forgotten our deen and its preachings. Adl - balance is preached. If only we can practice it. If only we start practicing the basic tenets of Islam, most of our problems will be solved.
God Almighty dislikes a spendthrift as also a miser. Rationing means spending or using something as actually needed for a given purpose. It’s nothing new. It has been practiced over the ages and with beneficial results. It was never needed more than at the present.
Let the haves curtail their more than needed needs and pass on the savings to the needy and need I say they will be doing this deed towards their own good.
Read the writing on the wall and avert the looming catastrophe building up fast like dark clouds predicting lightening and storms.
The French Royalty did not pay heed - bloody revolution. The Russian Czars did not - see what happened. We still have time on our side though the sand in our hourglass is near its end.
Let’s one and all, our government, our businessmen and industrialists, our politicians and we ourselves the public vow sincerely to do something. God helps those who help themselves.