Economic meltdown deserves attention.

Byline: Ali Ashraf Khan - Karachi

REPORTS of alleged sale-purchase of party tickets and votes for Senate elections have been carried by the national media in recent days. In my memory the first time such reports emerged was when the PML (Junejo) had awarded tickets for six general seats from Sindh to party nominees, including its secretary-general.

Subsequently, reports surfaced about some kind of deal between the party top brass and a businessman from Karachi. It resulted in the withdrawal of party ticket from the secretary-general who himself was issuing the tickets. This practice has been going on since then and the forthcoming elections seem to be no different on this count.

The toothless parliament, instead of playing any positive role, is becoming a financial liability on the national exchequer. Social media is abuzz with detailed breakup of staggering amount spent annually on national and provincial assemblies and Senate, excluding the salaries of speakers, deputy speakers of national and provincial assemblies and chairman and deputy chairman of Senate.

Economic statistics show about 2.15 per cent increase in inflation in the...