‘Why Pakistan cannot import Russian oil’

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Shaukat Tarin has criticised the federal government for not importing Russian oil. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the former finance minister asked: “If India, Bangladesh [and] Sri Lanka can import Russian oil, why can’t we.”

“We can use swaps and also import Diesel/petrol instead of crude. The [government] would much rather pile misery on the poor people of Pakistan but avoid annoying [United States] and [European Union],” he wrote on Twitter.

In another tweet, Shaukat Tarin pointed out that the incumbent rulers used to do inflation marches against PTI government when Consumer Price Index (CPI) was around 11% and the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) 14%.

“Now CPI is 21.3% and SPI 32%. These numbers are heading towards 30 &40%,” the Senator said, adding that the lives of most Pakistanis have become hell amid severe loadshedding.

“Why did we bring them when PTI was handling the economy well?” he asked. “While [inflation] is at its peak and hurting the poor and lower middle class the most, the [government] has virtually stopped pro poor programs such as Kamyab Pakistan, Kamyab Jawan and Mera Pakistan Mera Ghar,” he added.