Cash-strapped Pakistan has advised its citizens to lower their tea intake in order to assist reduce the country’s rapidly depleted foreign exchange reserves.
According to The News International newspaper, Pakistan consumed tea worth 83.88 billion (USD 400 million) in fiscal year 2021-22, prompting the call from Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal.
He claimed that Pakistan, as one of the world’s largest tea importers, has to borrow money to do so.
Mr Iqbal told reporters in Islamabad on Tuesday, ‘I appeal to the nation to cut down on tea consumption by 1-2 cups because we import tea on loan.’
According to the federal budget paper for the current fiscal year, Pakistan imported $13 billion (USD $60 million) more tea than the previous fiscal year.
According to the News Network International news agency, 70.82 billion (USD 340 million) was spent on tea imports in fiscal year 2020-21.
Mr Iqbal’s call for people to reduce their tea consumption by one to two cups did not go over well, and many began criticising him on Twitter.
‘Is it true that Ahsan Iqbal asked the nation to drink less chai? Is it true that he asked us for that? Do they really believe we’re that naive’ a Twitter user commented.
In a tweet, another person called Zoha stated, ‘Ahsan Iqbal pushing the nation to cut down on tea im sorry but I can not be a part of this.’
The traders’ community has also been asked to close markets by 8:30 p.m. to save energy, according to the planning minister.
This, according to Iqbal, will help the country reduce its petroleum import bill.
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail recently cautioned that if severe decisions are not made, Pakistan’s economy could end up in the same situation as Sri Lanka’s.
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