Lahore: Advocacy groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights (JAC), convened a public meeting today to urge the government to address the severe economic pressures faced by millions of citizens due to the rising cost of living. The groups criticized the government’s close ties with business and industrial elites, which they claim have exacerbated wealth disparities and economic difficulties for the general populace.

According to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the meeting saw robust participation from various sectors, including rights activists, academics, and labor rights advocates. Notable speakers included JAC convenor Irfan Mufti, HRCP secretary-general Harris Khalique, and rights activist Mohamad Tahseen, who collectively emphasized the urgent need for governmental intervention.

The gathering resulted in a resolution calling for the implementation of price controls on essential goods, including staple foods, fuel, and medicines, and for increased subsidies on utilities for working-class families. Proposals were also made for raising the minimum wage to match inflation rates, improving wages for women in the informal sector, and expanding social safety programs to prevent vulnerable households from falling into poverty.

Participants also advocated for increasing the budget allocation for education and health to between 4-6 percent of GDP, to support free primary education, affordable secondary and higher education, and a free national health service. They stressed the importance of creating more job opportunities, particularly for those affected by conflict or climate change, and called for improvements in working conditions and workers’ rights.

The meeting concluded with a call from HRCP treasurer Husain Naqi for a mass movement to push political parties to prioritize the needs of working-class citizens over the interests of the powerful establishment. The groups also urged the government to adopt more progressive taxation measures, provide transparency about state loans, and regulate the real estate sector to prevent land hoarding.