PM Imran Tells PTI Spokespersons To Say There Is No Inflation

PM Imran Tells PTI Spokespersons To Say There Is No Inflation
Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly directed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokespersons to state publicly that there is no inflation in the country, despite data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showing that inflation rose 12.3 per cent in December from a year earlier.

"We had got a ruined economy which has considerably improved, let the opposition not exploit the situation in any way and tell the people the facts and present a factual picture before them," the premier said.

The prime minister also told the PTI spokespersons that he was "their brand," and that they should not let the opposition party control the media narrative.

The statements were delivered during a meeting between the government and party spokespersons on Monday to deliberate the national economy and government media strategy.

At the same meeting, Federal Minister on Finance Shaukat Tareen told the PM that inflation had dropped from November to December, and was likely to reduce in the coming months.  The minister reportedly did not mention year on year statistics.

The Prime Minister affirmed that the state of the economy was better, pointing to the falling prices of several major commodities, and asked that national economy statistics should be made public.

In November 2021, Pakistan's consumer price inflation increased from 9.2 per cent to 11.5 percent, the highest increase of the past 20 months.  The hike was influenced by high global fuel prices, as well as high local prices of fresh fruits, vegetables and meat.