A large banner, offering facilities to freeze home-cooked food and store it for months, or even years, flutters across a busy street in Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab Province. Azizuddin Ahmed, 50, an electrician, is one of those who have stopped to read the advertisement.
“Frankly, everyone thinks things will get very bad soon and we should stock up on food items. If that happens, and there are shortages and violence, it may not be a bad idea to do what they suggest and freeze some cooked food,” he said, pointing to the banner.
Ahmed and his wife, Sabiha Bibi have been attempting to buy some grocery items for their family of eight, including six children, but have been thwarted by a strike which paralysed many cities across the Punjab on 6 March.
Political unrest as a result of growing conflict between the ruling party and groups in the opposition has led to violence over the past 10 days, with vehicles set alight, tyres burnt and angry protests in the streets.
Governor’s Rule (a mini emergency rule) is now in force in the Punjab after the elected chief minister of the province, Shahbaz Sharif, was ousted following a controversial court ruling. His supporters have reacted with fury.
Earlier this month seven people were killed in a high-profile attack on a visiting Sri Lankan cricket team. Violence also continues in the North West Frontier Province, where the shrine of a revered mystic poet, Rahman Baba, was torn apart by bombs in Peshawar, after militants issued warnings that women could not visit the site. In other towns, shops selling music or film have been attacked, local media reported.
Growing alarm
Set against a backdrop of growing political dissent and plans for a major protest rally by opposition parties calling for true independence for the judiciary, the violence has triggered growing alarm among ordinary citizens.
“I am stocking up on ‘atta’ (wheat flour) and cooking oil, as everyone says there may be shortages if things get much worse,” said Anwar Hameed, a trader in a Lahore market.
Evidence of the growing uncertainty among people has been visible in major cities, with people buying in bulk in case there is crisis ahead. The fear has been particularly acute in Islamabad, where protesters from across the country are due to converge in a few days time.
“We keep hearing rumours that there may be a complete breakdown of order. I remember times in the past when it was just too unsafe to leave the house, especially as I live alone with my three daughters and there is no man to make a quick trip out to the shops,” said Rasheeda Bibi, 45, a widow who lives in Islamabad and has purchased large quantities of flour, lentils, milk powder and sugar.
“It’s OK if you can afford to buy food for weeks or days. I buy what I can as I earn Rs 400 or 500 [US$5-6] a day,” said labourer Aslam Masih, who complains: “When markets shut down and there is violence, no one comes out of their homes - and that means we get no work... When we don’t work, our families don’t eat. It’s as simple as that.”
Short tempers
There are other signs of mounting desperation. Uzma Bano, 30, a domestic worker, said she lost her job as a cleaner because she had to miss work to take care of her two children, whose schools shut down because of the violence in Lahore for two days this month.
“My employer was angry and dismissed me. Everyone’s tempers are short these days. My husband has no job, and I have sent my kids to beg for food at the big houses. Someone who is kind may give them a ‘roti’ [flat bread] or two,” she said.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani has promised “things will be back to normal soon.” However, few seem to be convinced. In the media, there is speculation that major political upheaval may lie ahead. The uncertainty is affecting the lives of people in many ways, and as Azizuddin Ahmed says, “when there is a crisis of this kind the fallout affects wage earners and ordinary people most”.
kh/at/cb
“Frankly, everyone thinks things will get very bad soon and we should stock up on food items. If that happens, and there are shortages and violence, it may not be a bad idea to do what they suggest and freeze some cooked food,” he said, pointing to the banner.
Ahmed and his wife, Sabiha Bibi have been attempting to buy some grocery items for their family of eight, including six children, but have been thwarted by a strike which paralysed many cities across the Punjab on 6 March.
Political unrest as a result of growing conflict between the ruling party and groups in the opposition has led to violence over the past 10 days, with vehicles set alight, tyres burnt and angry protests in the streets.
Governor’s Rule (a mini emergency rule) is now in force in the Punjab after the elected chief minister of the province, Shahbaz Sharif, was ousted following a controversial court ruling. His supporters have reacted with fury.
Earlier this month seven people were killed in a high-profile attack on a visiting Sri Lankan cricket team. Violence also continues in the North West Frontier Province, where the shrine of a revered mystic poet, Rahman Baba, was torn apart by bombs in Peshawar, after militants issued warnings that women could not visit the site. In other towns, shops selling music or film have been attacked, local media reported.
Growing alarm
Set against a backdrop of growing political dissent and plans for a major protest rally by opposition parties calling for true independence for the judiciary, the violence has triggered growing alarm among ordinary citizens.
“I am stocking up on ‘atta’ (wheat flour) and cooking oil, as everyone says there may be shortages if things get much worse,” said Anwar Hameed, a trader in a Lahore market.
Evidence of the growing uncertainty among people has been visible in major cities, with people buying in bulk in case there is crisis ahead. The fear has been particularly acute in Islamabad, where protesters from across the country are due to converge in a few days time.
“We keep hearing rumours that there may be a complete breakdown of order. I remember times in the past when it was just too unsafe to leave the house, especially as I live alone with my three daughters and there is no man to make a quick trip out to the shops,” said Rasheeda Bibi, 45, a widow who lives in Islamabad and has purchased large quantities of flour, lentils, milk powder and sugar.
“It’s OK if you can afford to buy food for weeks or days. I buy what I can as I earn Rs 400 or 500 [US$5-6] a day,” said labourer Aslam Masih, who complains: “When markets shut down and there is violence, no one comes out of their homes - and that means we get no work... When we don’t work, our families don’t eat. It’s as simple as that.”
Short tempers
There are other signs of mounting desperation. Uzma Bano, 30, a domestic worker, said she lost her job as a cleaner because she had to miss work to take care of her two children, whose schools shut down because of the violence in Lahore for two days this month.
“My employer was angry and dismissed me. Everyone’s tempers are short these days. My husband has no job, and I have sent my kids to beg for food at the big houses. Someone who is kind may give them a ‘roti’ [flat bread] or two,” she said.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani has promised “things will be back to normal soon.” However, few seem to be convinced. In the media, there is speculation that major political upheaval may lie ahead. The uncertainty is affecting the lives of people in many ways, and as Azizuddin Ahmed says, “when there is a crisis of this kind the fallout affects wage earners and ordinary people most”.
kh/at/cb
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article
