Economic disparity

Years ago, when I was involved with the UNICEF projects, we played with figures of health and economic indicators. The average monthly income based on these indicators was quite low at that time and around 35% of population was falling below 'poverty line'. Our calculation was based on local currency.
With the passage of years, the average annual income increased but the purchasing power decreased simultaneously. The US dollar escalated in value and the rupee was badly hit. Karachi had almost suffered from population explosion with the migrants from turbulent neighbouring borders.Once an officer working at Sindh Bureau of Statistics confided in me and whispered "the figures are cooked up as we need to show some improvement every year".
Anyways, this time I have decided not to look at the statistics or figures but to comment on ground reality and personal observations. It is rightly said that poor are getting poorer and rich are getting richer. The middle-class is fast diminishing. I was reading an article where two young gentlemen introduced themselves as dacoits to a guest attending a wedding ceremony. These gentlemen had no regrets and had a plausible explanation that the current economic state was compelling them to adopt this so-called 'decent profession'.
I visited Pakistan recently and one of my activities was to observe the impact of recent upheavals in the country with special focus on economy and purchasing power of people. The markets were full, people were buying goods at high prices, and Malls were busy with people buying a number of basic as well as luxury items. Hotels and restaurants were full up to their capacities. The bills were sky-rocketing and it appeared that things were as expensive as in developed western countries. The difference was the value of dollars and rupees.
It was difficult to understand that how the ordinary people were affording to buy the goods. One question arose in mind "Has the pay scale changed drastically for the working class?" "Are the businesses blooming?" It occurred that the pay scales have improved, for example those people who were getting salary of Rs 5000 per month and were now making 15-20,000 per month. But with high inflation and high cost of daily living, this does not matter much. A media friend revealed astonishing figures by saying " you know one of the anchors in a morning show gets Rs 2 million per month......and ...and....a popular reporter gets much more than this in addition to perks and incentives from politicians and secret services, and ......... "I had to stop him saying anything further. I was wondering what the people were doing in countries like US and Canada after getting best skills and earning peanuts as compared to what the media people are making here in terms of money.
I raised this question with an old friend from a highly reputable TV channel and expressed my concern regarding this economic dichotomy. He reassured me by quoting Oprah Winfrey who was making a huge sum of money by virtue of popularity of her shows. My 14-year old son once asked "Papa, Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan are footing bills worth crores of rupees, so what is the fun in becoming a 'big doctor' in Canada".
I was taken aback by his thought process and for a minute my dream of him becoming a scholar or a doctor took a big jolt. I started imagining about the mothers who yearn to see their new born children becoming a future doctor or engineer. I wonder they now be wishing for their children to become a super film star or at least an anchor or a media reporter.
It appears that the glamour and glitter of becoming a health professional is fading away. For a minute, a thought came into my mind "If I get a time machine and can go back in the past, will I think of a silver screen career?"
I started thinking of a number of media and silver screen people who had shared with me their psychological problems with associated complications including suicidal tendencies while suffering from intense stress of their profession.
I remember a case "a circus was installed in a town; the clown was instrumental in bringing hearty laughter to people who attended the shows during the circus events. In the same town, a man who was seriously depressed went to a psychiatrist for seeking treatment. The psychiatrist inquired -'Did you ever go to the show of the comedian in the circus; I bet you will be much relieved'. The gentleman answered-'Doctor, I am the same comedian who performs at the circus".
Oops....now I understand in true sense the saying 'all that a glitter is not gold'. I think, I would not reverse the destiny. After all happiness comes from within. Reverting back to the query about the economic state of Pakistan, I am still in a dilemma as how an average individual could survive the high expenditures of daily living. The picture is confusing as I observed that rich people are living princely lives, while the poor though have inadequate resources would display extravaganzas when spending the money for dowry or when it comes to competition in social life.
Believe me; I have seen mobile cell phones in the hands of beggars on the road. It appears that the true picture of economic state is not visible but yet the disparity prevails with full force and momentum.
(The writer is a Professor of Psychiatry at Memorial University of Newfoundland)