Economic reset

This letter refers to the article ‘The economy needs a reset’ (September 23, 2024) by Humayun Akhtar Khan. The emphasis of the article is, inter alia, on exports, SMEs on a massive scale and higher skill manufacturing as a medium term goal. I think that what the economy really needs is a reset to alleviate the hardships of the almost 50 per cent of the population living below the poverty line. Placing the more than 26 million children out of school in schools, improving education standards and facilities of primary and secondary schools, providing basic health services in small towns and villages, providing clean drinking water to everyone, and improving living conditions in urban areas are also important.

We also need to prevent the squandering of resources by political leaders, withdraw the perks and privileges of elected representatives and senior bureaucrats, and discourage luxurious housing in posh societies. There is a need for a change in the thinking of elite institutions in favour of the poor.

Abdul Majeed

Islamabad