The India option

Torrential rains and flash floods have caused an unimaginable disaster in Pakistan. Half of the country’s croplands have been washed away. As a result, the prices of the common commodities, especially vegetables, have reached tremendous heights, exacerbating our long-running inflation problem. Given the situation, the government has announced that they are mulling importing food from India in order to relieve the flood-induced supply shortage. This has led to widespread backlash and opposition from people belonging to all walks of life. As a matter of fact, the imports from India could benefit us greatly. But it is also pertinent to mention that India’s inhumane treatment of Kashmiri Muslims is a stark reminder of their anti-Muslim approach. However, turning to India for urgently-needed supplies does not mean having to relinquish our stance on Kashmir. Instead, it could turn out to be an opportunity to cooperate on shared problems such as climate change.

Abdul Rafay Jamali

Hyderabad