While the world is striving to become a consolidated economic village, there is an urgent need for carrying out reforms in international trade policies. So far, these trade policies have multiple lop-sides and give an impression that even the World Trade Order (WTO) has been tailor-made to suit the interests of global powers. With this kind of economic imbalance, the exploitation of weaker countries or weaker economies will continue unabated unless the world leaders take stock of situation under the aegis of the United Nations. The World Trade Organisation also needs to remove this imbalance and take steps to bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots otherwise the world will continue to face radicalised conduct of the depressed nations and peoples. It is a reality that economic exploitation of the majority by the minority is giving birth to hatred and this perception is building up very quickly that world is now divided among the subjugators and the subjugated ones, the rich and the affluent being the subjugators who are a minority, whereas the subjugated ones belong to the classes that are downtrodden and whose large number live below the poverty line.
HAFIZ FAROOQ SAEED,
Lahore, November 30.