The PML-N spokesperson, Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Monday that Prime Minister Imran Khan is leaving a blind eye on the problems of the common man in these testing times. He is unaffected and doesn’t pay heed to grave concerns such as soaring unemployment, joblessness, inflation, hike in tariffs on utilities, and the resultant miseries faced by the people.
Furthermore, in a statement, she necessitated that there should be a withdrawal of the hike in the prices of medicines. She comments that in these painful times when Covid-19 is taking a toll on people’s lives and savings, high prices of life-saving medicines have augmented people’s woes.
She asserts that such a measure on increasing prices of key medicinal drugs is the antithesis to PM Imran Khan’s narrative of waging Jihad. Thus, PM Imran Khan should be ashamed of his acts, she added. For the 12th time, PM Imran Khan has increased the prices of medicines by 50%; new prices for new Pakistan, she stated.
Read more: Poor and the rich in Pakistan are living ‘poles apart’: UNDP report
On the whole, in these three years, the cost of medicines has soared by 500%. Maryam Aurangzeb added that the PM has no remorse for his actions and no pain for the people who face the brunt of this price surge. Also, the PM gave the NRO deal and full protection to the minister who was caught red-handed in the drug theft.
Rising inflation in Pakistan
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 10.9 percent in May 2021 due to an increase in energy, food prices. However, in July, the inflation rate clocked in 8.4 percent against June 2021 reading of 9.3 percent as reported by PBS. Although inflation has eased, Covid-19 curbs have stoked prices.
CPI inflation clocked in at 8.4 percent in July 2021 against June reading of 9.7 percent and 9.3 percent in July 2020, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data showed on Monday.
Read more: https://t.co/3wwrtN6gwv #TheNews
— The News (@thenews_intl) August 3, 2021
Multiple factors have been attributed to inflation hikes and increased prices of utilities in Pakistan. The external shocks to the economy in the form of the global pandemic and the consequent disruption in supply chains along with the internal issues such as pressure on Pakistan’s economy due to the IMF bail-out package, balance of payment crisis, and trade deficits.
Read more: Pakistan’s Unusual and Unprecedented Food Inflation – What is driving it?
Thus, implementing structural change in the economy, promoting export-led strategy, and engaging strategically with the loan package from lending institutions is the need of the hour to battle inflation concerns and bring relief to the people in these times. Also, the collaborative stance of the opposition and the government can make ends meet.