Karachi, September 26, 2022 (PPI-OT):FPCCI’s Presidential candidate Atif Ikram Sheikh on Saturday said the IMF has given an indication of easing its strict conditions which is a good development but this is insufficient. The international community is showing indifference towards Pakistan to help it respond effectively to the flood-related challenges, he said.

Atif Ikram Sheikh said that the government has reduced the growth target from five percent to two percent, but even achieving this revised target will be a miracle as the economy is reeling from inflation, the payments crisis and the continued depreciation of the rupee. In a statement issued here, the business leader said that heads of some important countries and international institutions are appealing for Pakistan’s help, but the progress in this direction is unsatisfactory.

Tens of millions of Pakistanis are forced to suffer the punishment for the crimes they never committed, he said, adding that diseases and epidemics have broken out in the camps established for the flood affected while the government does not have the resources to deal with the problem. If Pakistan does not get full support from the international community, it will be impossible to provide relief to the flood victims which will be a doomsday scenario for millions, he warned.

He said that wheat sowing time has started in Sindh but the flood water will not recede before two months for which urgent measures are needed. The country’s conditions are constantly deteriorating, the industry is facing difficulties, agriculture has been completely destroyed and Pakistan is rapidly moving towards a wheat crisis.

The government is not importing wheat at the required pace and not allowing the private sector to import wheat which is a recipe for disaster. According to the government agencies, there is no shortage of wheat in the country and there is stock for the next six months. If this is true, why the price of flour is increasing continuously, he questioned.

Apart from this, the prices of vegetables, pulses and rice have also gone up which hurts the poor, he said.

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