Through their contradictory statements, the government ministers have been repeatedly warning the nation about billions of rupees losses to the national exchequer since Imran Khan, chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and Dr Tahirul Qadri, chief of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek started their marches and sit-ins in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Khurram Dastgir, the federal commerce minister, puts the figures of losses at Rs 8 billion while Finance Minister Ishaq Dar claims that the national economy has lost Rs 12 billion due to protest marches. However, the Federal Bureau of Revenue claims that the tax collection ratio has been improved in the recent weeks. According to a Customs Today report, the FBR has collected Rs 1 billion more than the revenue it had collected during the same period last year.
The economic figures presented by the federal ministers and the government officials are absolutely in contrast with the state of economy.As Imran puts during his speeches to the participants of the sit-ins, he is in Islamabad with peaceful protesters, and questions howthe sit-in affects the national economy.
It has become a habit in the government circles to mislead the people by putting wrong figures. The ministers are issuing irresponsible statements about the state of the economy without giving any hearing to the voices of reasons. The figures issued by the FBR blatantly contradict the government’s claims of colossal losses as the board has collected more revenue in the current situation.
Regarding the exports from the country, the exports activities are going on in full swing in Karachi and the goods, which were supposed to be exported from Islamabad, are being sent by the Karachi route. The commercial and trade activities are going well across the country and there is no panic in the business circles. However, the stock exchange is under pressure after reports appeared in the media that Khan and Qadri’s supporters have started marching towards the Prime Minister’s House, and it shed at least 291 points in the early session.
According to other reports, at least three people have been killed and hundreds of others have been injured in clashes with the police.
The government may have sincerity to resolve the current political crisis amicably, but one thing is clear that it has gravely mishandledthe Model Town incident as well as the current political chaos in Islamabad. A bad workman fights with his tools and this can be 100 percent applicable on the Nawaz government in Islamabad and Shahbaz government in Punjab.It seems the two are adamant that instead of making new mistakes they will repeat the past mistakes.
