Containers Are More Expensive Than Protests

Meanwhile, the federal administration lately created Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb tell the entire nation in a pre-recorded message that protests, long marches and road blockades cost Pakistan Rs.

Key points

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• Aurangzeb remarked the estimate was prepared by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal's team and counts Rs.
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• 120 billion calculation would be more useful if it additionally included the economic cost of the measures employed to contain protests.
• This is especially relevant since Pakistan is still dealing with significant economic pressures despite the improvement in reserves.

Good. Take care of it. But the number is major enough to grab attention. It additionally raises another obvious question: who is counting the cost of stopping the protests? Since it looks like containers are more expensive than protests. Finance Ministry Clarifies IMF Role in Petroleum Levy.

Aurangzeb remarked the estimate was prepared by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal's team and counts Rs. 86 billion in services, Rs. 25 billion in industry and Rs. 9 billion in agriculture.

There is little doubt that prolonged disruption hurts businesses. Transport slows, shops lose customers, supply chains suffer and daily wage workers lose income. Economic Calculation Should Not Stop There^.

When protests are projected, authorities additionally impose security measures that perfectly disrupt normal economic activity. Roads can be restricted, commercial movement can slow and access to significant areas can become challenging. The administration itself has cautioned that it will take measures to prevent protesters from blocking roads and reaching Islamabad. Counter Measures Are MORE Expensive.

Meanwhile, a container placed on a road does not produce anything. A truck stuck in traffic does not deliver anything. Thousands of vehicles burning extra fuel while sitting in congestion are not helping the economy either.

So the Finance Ministry's Rs. 120 billion calculation would be more useful if it additionally included the economic cost of the measures employed to contain protests. A transport owners' spokesperson informed ProPakistani multiple times that they lost Rs. 280 million for two weeks' worth of the capital siege.

This is especially relevant since Pakistan is still dealing with significant economic pressures despite the improvement in reserves. In such an economy, every wasted working hour, unnecessary litre of fuel and delayed shipment matters. Transporters Claim Rs. 800 Million Loss From Islamabad Blockade. Is Govt Right to Worry?

Meanwhile, the administration is right to worry concerning disruption. But economic damage does not stop being damage simply since a administration agency causes it.

If protests come with a Rs. 120 billion daily bill, the country should count the full bill. The views here belong to the author. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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Taken together, the developments around containers Are More Expensive Than Protests point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.