Opposition protests costing Pakistan Rs 190 billion daily, says Finance Minister

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has disclosed the substantial economic toll of opposition-led protests.

Speaking at a press conference amidst Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned march toward Islamabad, Aurangzeb stressed the critical need for political stability to protect the nation’s economy. He revealed that daily financial losses caused by opposition protests and lockdowns exceed Rs 190 billion.

The minister explained that these disruptions impede tax collection, obstruct business operations, and adversely affect exports. Additionally, the government incurs significant costs to maintain law and order during such events.

Aurangzeb noted that the IT and telecommunications sectors suffer separate losses, with their shutdowns impacting the digital economy and social dynamics.

Citing a detailed Finance Ministry report, he outlined that protests result in a daily GDP loss of Rs 144 billion. Export disruptions account for Rs 26 billion in daily losses, while reduced foreign direct investment leads to an additional Rs 3 billion loss.

Provinces also face sector-specific losses, with the agricultural sector losing Rs 26 billion daily and the industrial sector suffering over Rs 20 billion in losses.