KARACHI: In a modest rented apartment in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar neighborhood, Ednan Effendi and his wife, Samreen, recall a time when annual family trips to northern Pakistan were a cherished tradition. Now, stagnant incomes, inflation and higher taxes have left the Effendis, like millions of other Pakistani families, struggling, as the country tries to recover from a prolonged economic crisis.
Pakistan’s inflation rate in November fell to 4.9 percent, a six-year low, with the finance ministry projecting December’s rate to hover around 4-5 percent. The central bank expects consumer prices to average below 13.5 percent this fiscal year, attributing the improvement to sound monetary policy, a stable currency and declining global commodity prices.
Yet, countless middle-class families like the Effendis— a key indicator of any country’s economic health— are reeling from rising fuel and food costs, along with increased taxes.
“Four years ago, we used to go on family trips to Pakistan’s northern areas annually,” Samreen Effendi, 45, told Arab News. “But now the budget doesn’t allow it.”
Last year in September, Pakistan secured a 37-month, $7 billion financial bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), committing to financial reforms such as raising taxes and utility prices. While aimed at long-term stabilization, these measures have deepened financial hardship for families like the Effendis, forcing difficult trade-offs.
“We have no choice but to live within our income,” said Effendi, a 53-year-old government officer and father of two. “In the same salary, we must pay children’s school fees, buy groceries and manage household expenses.”
Four years ago, the Effendis could afford items like ketchup, chocolate spread and cheese in their monthly groceries. Surging inflation has slashed their grocery budget from Rs30,000 [$107] to Rs15,000 [$53.68]. Now, their monthly shopping is limited to staples such as rice and lentils.
“Gone are the days when we could buy everything in bulk,” Samreen lamented.
She said that she once dreamed of providing her children with an education better than her own, though she has now been facing harsh realities.
“Even the fees for government colleges and universities have become so high they have gone beyond our budget,” she said. “What can we do? We are middle-class people.”
‘ENJOYING LIFE OUT OF THE QUESTION’
As living costs soared, Samreen let go of domestic help and now takes on all the household chores herself.
“We’ve let go of our maids. Now we sweep and mop the house ourselves, wash clothes ourselves,” she said. “A regular woman can do these tasks, but how can she also work a job alongside them?”
Millions of families in Karachi grapple with daily water and gas shortages, resorting to costly gas cylinders and private water tankers charging exorbitant rates.
Samreen says managing groceries, education bills and rising utility expenses has become nearly impossible.
“Going out and enjoying life is out of the question now. Even having two meals a day at home has become a blessing,” she added.
Despite the challenges, the Effendis hold on to hope as the new year approaches. Effendi longs for the day prices stabilize, allowing him to take his family on outings and fulfill his father’s modest wish of traveling to the scenic hill station of Murree by train.
“I could take my children and my wife for outings, seeing a smile on her face,” Effendi said. “I could take my father, who has been asking for a trip to Murree or a train ride for so long.”
“My biggest wish is for 2025 to be a great year for me and everyone else,” he added.