Residents of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces were seen on a video frantically chasing after a truck carrying wheat flour, as the country grapples with a severe economic crisis and widespread shortages of basic goods.
In the footage, an elderly man can be heard protesting on the road, pleading with the truck driver, “If you can’t offer flour, run the car over me.” The man’s desperation is a reflection of the dire circumstances faced by many in Pakistan, as the country struggles with an energy crisis, high inflation, and rising fuel prices.
#Balochistan people do not have Atta to eat
But Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi have Atta.
PM is roaming abroad.Resources of Balochistan feed whole #Pakistan, but they have nothing for us.
That’s why we want #FreeBalochistan where we will do good for our #Baloch. #PakistanEconomy pic.twitter.com/qi3rlnLSdK— Saira Bugti (@BugtiSaira) January 9, 2023
Pakistan’s foreign reserves have dwindled to just $8 billion, raising concerns about the country’s ability to service its debts. This economic turmoil has resulted in widespread hardship for the people of Pakistan, with long lines forming at stores and shortages of essential goods becoming increasingly common.
Video from Quetta, Balochistan
“If you can’t offer flour, run the car over me” an elderly man started protesting on the road after being rejected by the cheap flour initiative.#PakistanEconomy #PakistanEconomicCrisis #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/EBCshFIAjn
— Debashish Sarkar 🇮🇳 (@DebashishHiTs) January 9, 2023
The video from Quetta serves as a disturbing reminder of the human cost of Pakistan’s economic crisis, as people are driven to desperation in their search for basic necessities. It is clear that urgent action is needed to address the root causes of this crisis and provide relief for the suffering of the Pakistani people.
“بھوک تہذیب کے آداب مٹا دیتی ہے”۔#PakistanEconomy #foodcrisis #shamefulpakistan #shameful pic.twitter.com/tHgbOPdbxm
— کپتان کا دیوانہ (@KarnalPTI) January 8, 2023
The true crisis lies in the skyrocketing prices of goods – a kilogram of flour costs around Rs. 140, chicken meat is selling at over Rs. 800, while sugar, rice, pulses, ghee, and oil are all priced at over Rs. 400.