Omar Ayub Khan, General Secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, painted a grim picture of Pakistan’s economic future. Khan warned of a potential sharp increase in inflation and a depreciation of the Pakistani Rupee.
He cautioned that the Pakistani Rupee might plummet to 350 against the US dollar in the coming months, with electricity prices potentially soaring to 100 rupees per unit. Khan attributed these ominous forecasts to a perceived lack of investor confidence in Pakistan’s legal system, citing concerns about undue influence on the judiciary by intelligence agencies.
Critiquing the government’s economic management, Khan highlighted his longstanding warnings about escalating fuel and electricity costs. He noted the stark rise in electricity prices from 17 rupees per unit two years ago to the current 85 rupees, projecting a further increase to 100 rupees. Additionally, he predicted a looming rice crisis alongside the electricity price hike.
Injecting sarcasm into his remarks,Omar Ayub Khan addressed various legal charges against him, including accusations of motorcycle theft, X-ray machine theft, and murder, dismissing them as absurd. He humorously exaggerated the allegations, suggesting he somehow combined a stolen motorcycle with an X-ray machine for nationwide crime sprees.
Khan also joked about the mysterious disappearance of former Minister Hammad Azhar, whom he claimed absconded with his purportedly provided “F-16 motorcycle.” He playfully recounted the Islamabad Police’s misguided raid on the PTI Secretariat during a UN officials’ visit, highlighting the awkwardness of searching UN officials’ vehicles during the operation.
