The government has banned the import of all non-essential luxury items, citing an emergency situation. Minister for Information Marriyum Aurgangzeb made the announcement while addressing a press conference today (Thursday) in which she announced an ’emergency economic plan’.
Following the information minister’s announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted that this step would save the country’s ‘precious foreign exchange’.
“We will practice austerity and financially stronger people must lead in this effort so that the less privileged among us do not have to bear this burden inflicted on them by the PTI government,” the PM said.
My decision to ban import of luxury items will save the country precious foreign exchange. We will practice austerity & financially stronger people must lead in this effort so that the less privileged among us do not have to bear this burden inflicted on them by the PTI govt.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 19, 2022
The decision comes as the dollar has seen a sharp rise against the rupee over the past few days due to Pakistan’s rising import bill and declining foreign exchange reserves. On Thursday, the dollar rose to Rs200 in the interbank market.
While discussing the economic situation, the information minister said that the nation should rest assured that the prime minister was ‘working day and night’ to resolve the economic crisis.
The non-essential luxury items whose import has been banned by the government include cars, mobile phones, dry fruits and other items.
Here is a list of items that will no longer be imported:
Domestic appliances
Crockery
Private weapons
Shoes
Decoration pieces
Doors and window frames
Sauces
Frozen meat
Fruits
Carpets
Tissue paper
Furniture
Make-up
Chocolates and confectionary items
Shampoos
Sunglasses
Cigarettes
Musical instruments
Excellent
Thank God, purses are not on the list. Otherwise, what would Miran Nawaz would do without a $2000 purse.