Re: So lets assume we have “democracy” again. What then?
Brother previous post I just posted as khana-puri, shugul … aur aap tou younhee kush hou liya :D. Just wanted to see some responses, hoping that some might take that as weakness and may start writing about what I wrote as me evading your question :). Anyhow, here is what you asked:
These are ‘Federal Bureau of Statistics’ figures quoted by State Bank of Pakistan on their web site.
http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/pricei.pdf](http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/pricei.pdf)
Fx Tax Year … … … General … … … Food … … … Non-Food
… … … … … … … … … … (Figures in percentage)
1999 - 2000 … … … 3.6 … … … … … 2.2 … … … … 4.5
2000 - 2001 … … … 4.4 … … … … … 3.6 … … … … 5.0
2001 - 2002 … … … 3.5 … … … … … 2.5 … … … … 4.2
2002 - 2003 … … … 3.1 … … … … … 2.8 … … … … 3.3
2003 - 2004 … … … 4.6 … … … … … 6.0 … … … … 3.6
2004 - 2005 … … … 9.3 … … … … …12.5 … … … … 7.1
2005 - 2006 … … … 7.9 … … … … … 6.9 … … … … 8.6
2006 - 2007 … … … 7.8 … … … … …10.3 … … … … 6.0
1999 - 2007 … … … 53.48 … … … … 56.87 … … … … 50.85
You can calculate yourself the figures of total inflation from 1999-2007 from above figures (I calculated and put that down for your convenience). From the above figures:
Prices of average goods from 1999 to 2007 (that includes food items and non-food items) have gone up in prices by 53.48 percent.
**Prices of average food items from 1999 to 2007 have gone up in prices by 56.87 percent. **
Prices of average non-food items from 1999 to 2007 have gone up in prices by 50.85 percent
That is the figure I quoted in my earlier post, that prices have increased by around 53.5 percent over last 8 years of Musharraf rule.
Now the above figures are figures of ‘Federal Bureau of Statistics’ that does survey of prices all the time, and that figures state bank of Pakistan also quotes. Last figure is accumulative compound increase over the 8 years period (from 1999 to 2007, calculated from yearly figures).
Anyhow, this is not the end of my reference :). Here is what was raised by Supreme Court judges of Pakistan (regarding allotment of plot for agriculture in Islamabad) quoting the food price inflation in Islamabad (due to misuse of allotments), from News reported in DAWN (24th July 2007). Justice Javed Iqbal initiated suo motu proceedings on plots given to people for agricultural purposes so that prices in Islamabad does not increase more than normal increase in the country (because if there is no agricultural land producing essential foods within the vicinity of Islamabad, these items have to come from outside and thus prices of essential food items in Islamabad be higher because of transport cost)
In this report, reference of PPP Senator Enver Baig is also given. According to Senator Enver Baig, prices of essential commodities in Islamabad increased 41 to 89 percent during 8 years of Musharraf rule. That quote was given by Senator Enver Baig in context that this increase 41 to 89 percent in Islamabad is much more than country wide increase, because people who were allotted land for agriculture started using that as farm houses.
[From report given below: Senator Enver Baig presented the statistics of the Federal Bureau of Statistics to show that prices of essential commodities increased by 41 to 89 per cent between 2000 and 2007 (8 years of Musharraf rule)].
Now, if according to Senator Enver Baig, 41 to 89 percent increase in prices in Islamabad is higher than else where in Pakistan. It shows that maximum increase in price of essential items at place where increase was the most (Islamabad) is less than 89 percent. 
Anyhow, according to ‘Federal Bureau of Statistics’ (quoted by State Bank of Pakistan) average price increase of all items (foods and non-foods) during last 8 years (from 1999 to 2000) is 53.48 percent.
Now with compare to increase in wages, that is more than 300 percent of what it was in 1999. That is really a good rise and no one should complain.
Just imagine that Chief Justice must be a very happy man today, as his salary was around Rs 20000 a month in 1998 and today it is Rs 134000 a month. (That is a rise of over 670 percent (six hundred and Seventy percent) in 9 years (or an increase of 23.5 percent a year every year since 1998).
Here is Dawn News and report:
http://www.dawn.com/2007/07/24/nat8.htm
Supreme Court takes up public causes
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, July 23: People who were given farmland on the outskirts of Islamabad by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for growing farm products but turned them into farm houses may lose it all.
A bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, hinted at cancelling the allotments while considering public interest cases here on Monday.
It asked CDA chairman to submit a report naming the persons given agriculture farms in Chak Shahzad and any request received from them for changing the purpose for which it were allotted.
The purpose set by Islamabad’s Master Plan for these farms was to supply fresh fruits, vegetables and poultry items to the residents of Islamabad. But most of the elite and influential people who were doled out the farmlands turned them into palatial farm houses.
Other issues taken up by the bench related to unchecked price hike in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and last year’s sugar scandal.
On the first issue the bench asked federal secretaries of finance, commerce, industries and agriculture to appear before it and explain why the rise in prices could not be checked.
On the second issue, the bench directed Prosecutor General National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to inform the court about the outcome of its preliminary investigation into the multi billion scandal.
Public hue and cry over the double digit food inflation recorded in the two cities had attracted the attention of the Supreme Court.
Justice Javed Iqbal initiated suo motu proceedings and Rawalpindi District Coordinating Officer (DCO) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Khalid Pervez were directed to submit a comprehensive report in this regard.
The CDA is protecting huge palaces of lords built on acres of lands meant for farming when the rural areas adjoining the capital were without streets, water supply or other essentials,” observed Justice Abbasi during Monday’s proceedings.
While referring to the recently built Rs70 million Simly Road, which is now in tatters, he deplored that what to talk of pure milk, the citizens of Islamabad hardly get even proper milk.
Justice Javed Iqbal emphasised the need of establishing consumer associations to check prices, lamenting that the entire country was in the grip of different mafia because there were no organizations to watch the interest of consumers.
At this Justice Abbasi recalled that the Access to Justice Programme had laid great emphasis on setting up consumer courts but deplored that the vested interest did not let it happen.
In his report to the court the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad said the weekly bazaars in Sectors G-9, I-9 and G-6, and 35 Utility Stores, were great help in checking the prices of essential goods.
Three assistant commissioners and four magistrates were also constantly attending complaints about high prices in the city. Recently 260 shops were fined for not displaying rate list or indulging in profiteering.
Advocate Babar Awan pleaded that price hike could only be checked if attacked on three tiers, namely at production stage, middle men and retailers.
Senator Enver Baig presented the statistics of the Federal Bureau of Statistics to show that prices of essential commodities increased by 41 to 89 per cent between 2000 and 2007.
He alleged that hoarders creating price spiral were all linked to the ruling clan and insisted that former NAB chairman Shahid Aziz should be summoned to inform the court about the sugar scandal that rocked the country last year in which the sugar mafia sitting in the parliament reaped Rs41 billion.