Pakistani government tells people “drink less tea” amidst economic crisis

Pakistan is the latest of several countries hit by an economic crisis. In the midst of the crisis, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning and Development has some interesting instructions for citizens: drink less tea. Pakistan is the world’s largest importer of tea, buying more than US$640 million worth in 2020, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity.

The minister, Ahsan Iqbal, noted earlier this week that the tea Pakistan imports is imported on a loan, and imports are now financially straining the government. Iqbal told Pakistanis to drink “one or 2 cups” of tea a day. Pakistanis largely mocked Iqbal’s request on social media, saying that cutting tea consumption wouldn’t do much to help their country recover.

As with several countries across the globe, Pakistan faces soaring prices on gas, food, and oil. In April, the country’s former PM Imran Khan was ousted after opposition parties accused Khan of economic mismanagement. Even though the economic crisis was a major part of ousting Khan, Pakistan’s new PM Shehbaz Sharif struggles to manage the crisis.

Last month, the country banned the import of non-essential and luxury items to “control spiraling inflation, stabilize foreign exchange reserves, strengthen the economy, and reduce the country’s reliance on imports”, according to Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb. Sharif said the ban would save Pakistan’s foreign exchange.

SOURCE: CNN