Imagine the thrill of cruising down the streets of your beloved cities, the wind in your hair, the unbridled freedom of the open road, and the heady scents of Karachi’s salty sea breeze, the misty mountains of Islamabad, or Lahore’s pungent potpourri of spices. For those belonging to the middle-class, car ownership is not only a symbol of triumphant success but also a testament to their hard work and tireless perseverance in the pursuit of a better life.
In a country where public transportation is fraught with inconvenience and unreliability, owning a car is not just a hard-earned luxury – it is a veritable necessity, a means to unfettered mobility, independence and convenience, and an emblem of personal progress as well as social mobility.
However, that once-cherished dream is now disintegrating, crushed by soaring rates of inflation that have left many families reeling, struggling to keep their heads above water. Middle-class families, who have striven and struggled to attain the dream of car ownership, are now facing a dilemma: relinquish a reward for their rigorous labour or forgo other essentials, and risk plummeting into destitution. Note: Access to the full article is limited to paid subscribers only. If you are already a paid subscriber, please Login here Otherwise, you can choose to purchase a subscription package below for as low as Rs 275/month:
