Islamabad:Pakistan is facing an alarming loss of Rs. 190 billion per day as a result of road closures and lockdowns caused by opposition-led protests, according to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The protests, organized by the opposition party under the leadership of PTI founder Imran Khan, center around issues including Khan’s “unlawful” imprisonment, the February 8 general election, and the 26th constitutional amendment.
The Minister of Finance stressed that the protests led to a decrease in tax collection and a significant disruption in exports due to the closure of businesses. In addition, the protests have increased security-related expenses, as the government attempts to maintain law and order. The IT and technology sectors also suffered significant losses.
Aurangzeb revealed that the Ministry of Finance has prepared a report estimating that Pakistan’s GDP is suffering a daily loss of Rs. $144 billion due to the ongoing protests. The disruption to exports costs the country Rs. 26 billion per day, FDI is also affected with losses amounting to Rs. 3 billion daily.
Moreover, the provinces face their own set of economic challenges, with the agricultural sector losing Rs. 26 billion daily. The industrial sector is also bearing the brunt, with its losses exceeding the rupee. 20 billion daily.
The Finance Minister’s statements confirm the serious economic repercussions of the ongoing protests and call for urgent attention to mitigate these losses.
