Inflation and apathy.

IT should be a matter of huge embarrassment for a country that calls itself an agricultural economy to have soaring food inflation resulting in rampant poverty compounded misery, especially among the downtrodden segments of society.

The devastating floods last year played havoc with the country, pushing millions of people into abject poverty, increasing the poverty rate to 35.7 per cent, according to the World Bank. The food cycle, from the farm to the table, stands disrupted. The country is struggling to make even food grain available to the masses, with wheat flour being either unavailable or beyond the buying power of the people.

Footages and images in mainstream media showing the poor running after and fighting over flour bags with money in their hands have left the entire nation dejected. There have also been saddening and disturbing reports on social media of people getting killed in stampedes while trying to get a hand on flour bag to feed their hungry children and family members. And yet we continue to call ourselves an agricultural country.

The leadership across the political divide, as has always been the case, is busy spewing venom against each other, adding more toxicity to the horribly murky environment. It...