Pakistan PM' delusions of grandeur

Islamabad, Jan 12: It is a difficult task to be a Pakistan PM. You do not have any real power, the Army takes all the important decisions, your position is not certain, the army can topple your government any day. At such a difficult time, when your economy is in a terrible shape, one can understand why the Pakistan PM would resolve to lie.

 

 

 

Imran Khan, Pakistan's prime minister, believes that his country is in a better economic position than India, despite the economic turmoil Pakistan has been experiencing.

 

 

 

On Tuesday, Khan said that Pakistan is in a better economic condition than many countries in the region, especially India, speaking at the inaugural session of the International Chambers Summit 2022 in Islamabad.

 

The Times of India reported that Khan, at the summit organized by Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), said, "Pakistan is still one of the cheapest countries compared to many countries in the world. They (opposition) call us incompetent, but the fact is that our government has saved the nation from all crises."

 

Khan reportedly also said that, among other things, oil prices in Pakistan are cheaper than those in other countries. His claims come as the government is introducing a finance bill in Parliament as part of a condition requested by the IMF. The bill, if cleared, will clear the decks for $1 billion tranche in aid for Pakistan.

 

The bill was debated in the National Assembly on Tuesday, during which Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif alleged that the government was "putting Pakistan at stake for mere $1 billion".

 

The Imran Khan government in Pakistan is facing a financial crisis amid rising inflation and a surge in the country's trade deficit, leading the opposition to call for the prime minister's resignation.