'State abdicates responsibility to safeguard rights of people'.

LAHORE -- 'We have created two Pakistans - one for the masses and the other for the elite,' says economist Kaiser Bengali.

The elite class has created a parallel economy by setting up industries, organisations and services.

'All those who got amnesty are thieves and must land in prison.' Mr Bengali says.

Speaking at a session on 'Economic and Social Inequality' at Asma Jahangir conference at a local hotel on Sunday, Mr Bengali deplored that the state was no more recognising rights. He said the poor were becoming poorer and the governments were busy fudging the poverty data.

Regretting that the state has no interest in the welfare of people and only robbing people of their rights, Mr Bengali said there would be no hope for us and our children until and unless people overthrow this state and create a new state.

'Battles will now be fought and won on the streets and we have to be ready for it,' he said.

Mr Bengali, who had also served as adviser to the Sindh chief minister, said the state had given up all its responsibilities including providing decent education and healthcare services.

'There are private universities that serve as money laundering fronts,' he claimed.

Similarly, he said, there were seven-star hospitals where costs were enormous but healthcare services were not up to the mark.

Answering a question, Mr Bengali said the BISP was never designed to reduce inequality or poverty. It was designed to supplement low incomes.

'I had told the then prime minister and others concerned that the government could not attack poverty by giving Rs1,000 to a family. 'We had designed the BISP at a family level but now it has gone back to the household...