Helping the poor.

PAKISTAN faces one of the worst finan- cial crises these days. Inflation and price hike have had a deeply adverse impact on the segment of society that survives on a fixed income; the salaried class. On top of it, the energy crisis during the harshest winter season has added to the people's sufferings.

The sharp increase in prices related to used imported clothes has hit the poor rather hard. The second-hand items for the winter season are now expensive and out of the reach of millions.

In these hard times, businessmen and the financial elite of the country need to step up. Real estate giants, in particular, should take up the activity as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). They should launch campaigns and activities to alleviate the sufferings of the masses.

Interested companies may pool in for winter clothing items. Or they can even lend a...