Cessation of University of Southern California Operations

Cessation of University of Southern California Operations

After over five decades of operation, the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) of Pakistan will cease operations on July 10, leaving lower-income families and individuals with uncertainty about where to obtain relatively cheaper food. The closure of USC stores, which provided subsidised essential goods, especially food, to many, has left a significant gap in the country's efforts to combat hunger.

The World Food Programme (WFP) claims that 82% of Pakistan's population cannot afford a healthy diet, a situation that has been exacerbated by the recent spike in sugar prices, reportedly due to the government allowing 750,000 tonnes in exports from June 2024 to January 2025. This development has raised concerns about the affordability of food, a necessity that remains a luxury for many in the country due to high prices and limited access to quality goods.

However, the closure of USC does not mean that all hope is lost. The Government of Pakistan, in collaboration with organisations such as the UN World Food Programme (WFP), has been expanding school meal initiatives across various provinces. These programs provide nutritious meals to millions of children, encouraging school attendance and supporting better nutrition for families with limited income.

Additionally, targeted supplementary feeding programs aimed at malnourished women and children, particularly in vulnerable regions such as Balochistan and Sindh, are being run by WFP and the government. These programs supply nutritious food supplements to at-risk populations, addressing immediate hunger and malnutrition.

In partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan’s Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) supports 169 nutrition stabilisation centres treating severely malnourished children and providing counseling to families. This partnership targets life-saving interventions for vulnerable children under five.

Cash-based assistance and social protection schemes, such as those implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also help families directly purchase food and essentials. Strengthening social protection mechanisms like BISP, often in collaboration with international agencies, is a critical alternative for ensuring food access.

The government’s increasing political will and budgetary commitments aim to expand multi-stakeholder nutrition and food assistance programs that integrate education, health, and social protection to cover more vulnerable families.

However, the long-term fate of those affected by the closure, including both customers and employees, is uncertain. Thousands of USC employees are now jobless due to the closure, and the closure of an organisation dedicated to providing subsidised food after causing an avoidable increase in sugar prices may harm the government's credibility among the people.

The government needs to prove that market alternatives to public airlines, food companies, and steel mills are actually better alternatives. Saving the nation from insolvency does not count as a concrete benefit for ordinary people if it comes at the expense of affordable food. The IMF-inspired austerity, efficiency, and privatisation have yet to make food more affordable, and the closure of USC is the first major loss-making state entity to be closed down in Pakistan.

Pakistan ranks 109th out of 127 countries in the 2024 Global Hunger Index, a stark reminder of the challenges the country faces in ensuring food security for all its citizens. It is crucial that the government takes steps to address these concerns and ensure that lower-income families have access to affordable and nutritious food.

[1] UN World Food Programme. (n.d.). School Meals in Pakistan. Retrieved from https://www.wfp.org/countries/pakistan/school-meals [2] World Food Programme. (n.d.). Pakistan: Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme. Retrieved from https://www.wfp.org/countries/pakistan/targeted-supplementary-feeding-programme [3] World Food Programme. (n.d.). Pakistan: Nutrition Stabilization Centres. Retrieved from https://www.wfp.org/countries/pakistan/nutrition-stabilization-centres [4] The News. (2023, May 15). Cash-based assistance a better option for food security: Experts. Retrieved from https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/918165-cash-based-assistance-a-better-option-for-food-security-experts

1. The World Food Programme (WFP) is working with the Government of Pakistan to expand school meal initiatives across various provinces, providing nutritious meals to millions of children.
2. WFP and the government are also running targeted supplementary feeding programs in Balochistan and Sindh, supplying nutritious food supplements to at-risk populations.
3. In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan’s Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) operates 169 nutrition stabilization centres treating severely malnourished children and providing counseling to families.
4. Cash-based assistance and social protection schemes, such as those implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, help families directly purchase food and essentials.
5. The government is partnering with international agencies to strengthen social protection mechanisms like BISP and expand multi-stakeholder nutrition and food assistance programs that integrate education, health, and social protection to cover more vulnerable families.
6. Despite these efforts, the long-term fate of those affected by the closure of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) remains uncertain, with thousands of employees losing their jobs and concerns about the affordability of food for lower-income families.

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