Ask any desi folk and they’ll tell you about their love for cutting chai. It’s no wonder then that a Pakistani minister’s statement urging people to cut down on their tea intake – purportedly to tackle the country’s rising debt on import bills – has sent chai lovers into a frenzy online.
“I appeal to the nation to reduce tea intake by one or two cups daily because we borrow money for tea import as well,” Pakistan’s Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal told reporters in Islamabad recently, leaving all riled up on social media.
The govt of Pakistan wants its citizens to cut down on the consumption of chai(tea) because that too is imported, Fed Minister Ahsan Iqbal is heard requesting to the people through the media.
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) June 14, 2022
The appeal from the senior minister came after it was known that the country consumed tea worth 83.88 billion Pakistani Rupees in the fiscal year 2021-22, according to Geo TV. “The federal budget document for the outgoing fiscal year showed that Pakistan imported Rs 13 billion worth of more tea than the last fiscal year,” the report added.
As his statement created an uproar on social media, Iqbal also doubled down on his take and shared a screenshot of a report that showed Pakistan leading a list of countries with the biggest tea imports with 8.9 per cent of total tea imports.
— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) June 15, 2022
However, netizens were not convinced by his argument, saying that the public buys tea from their own pockets and the government doesn’t distribute it for free. While some seriously lashed out at the government for failing to control inflation and debts, others reacted to the “absurd” remark through memes.
Somebody needs to tell Ahsan Iqbal that the consumer pays for the chai they consume. The government doesn’t give it to them for free.
There’ll be no compromise on #Chai#امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/H6cMeZDWHE— Zartaj Rathore (@RathoreZartaj) June 15, 2022
response of chai lovers: pic.twitter.com/L7hjbOwVgP
— ChutneySpears (@bl33dingheart) June 14, 2022
We will accept Petrol as 1000/rs per Litre, but Agar Chai 🍵 Kay Khilaf Koi Baat Ki tuu Get Ready for World War 3 🤨.#Chai #Tea pic.twitter.com/iKjWEVrXL5
— Malik Ahmad Abbas Mangana (@IAmAhmadMangana) June 14, 2022
مارکیٹ میں یہ کپ آدھی قیمت میں دستیاب ہے چاۓ بھی آدھی کپ اور قیمت بھی آدھی کیا خیال ہے پاکستانیوں !!! pic.twitter.com/kUZ7Ss8PVH
— Mian Jahan Kandahwi (@MianJahan) June 14, 2022
Ahsan iqbal= Qoum Chai Kam piye.
Qoum=👇 pic.twitter.com/TyhK3Obmgp
— Syed Naveed Ahmad (@Naveed21314) June 14, 2022
Ahsan Iqbal asks nation to cut down “tea” consumption.. meanwhile Pakistani Awam be like #AhsanIqbal pic.twitter.com/VU5mAT9rZb
— Unpopular Opinion (@DrSehrish_Ali) June 14, 2022
Ahsan Iqbal requests nation to cut down tea consumption
Le Tea lovers:🌝 pic.twitter.com/8yzjPLPH9M— AYESHA_امجد (@Aish_sayss) June 14, 2022
After the statement of #AhsanIqbal
To reduce the number of cup of teaLe Tea Lover’s ; pic.twitter.com/QHMv2bm0FY
— Asad_Salim (@Dr_Asad48) June 14, 2022
According to Express Tribune, “The federal cabinet last month banned the import of around 41 items for two months to forestall a looming default but the measure appears to be too little, as it would contain the import bill by hardly $600 million or less than 5% of projected imports.”
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PremiumThe report added that the decision will affect the imports of cars, mobile phones, cosmetics, food products, and certain garments among other things.
