On Saturday, Thousands of Pakistan traders shuttered their shops, striking over rocketing fuel and energy bills stirring widespread uneasiness ahead of national elections.
There were widespread market closures in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar, where deserted bazaars were posted with placards denouncing “the unreasonable increase in electricity bills and taxes”.
Ajmal Hashmi, Lahore’s Township Traders Union president told AFP news agency that everyone is partaking because the crisis has become intolerable now, and some relief must be provided so people can put meals on their table.
Years of mismanagement and fluctuation have limped Pakistan’s economy, and this summer Pakistan was pushed into a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to deter default.
However, the IMF demanded that widespread subsidies cushioning living expenses be cut. Petrol and electricity costs have soared.
Traders wield enormous power in Pakistan, and with an election expected in the future months, the government encounters the delicate task of holding them onside while attaching to IMF austerity steps.
Residents would have to pay inflated bills as there is no “second option”, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said on Friday.
