New Delhi: A Pakistan Minister courted controversy after he asked people to consume those ingredients less which has seen a spike in prices. 


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According to Geo News, Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur while addressing a public meeting on Wednesday spoke on the inflation in Pakistan and suggested that people should reduce their sugar and flour consumption amid soaring prices. He said, "if people use less sugar, then their tea won’t taste less sweet (Agar chai mein cheeni ke 100 daane daalne ke bajaye 9 daane kam kar diye jaayein tou is se chai kam meethhi naheen hogi)”. 


Further, the minister said, "If there is 9 percent inflation, then can I not sacrifice so much for my community, my children. For the freedom of Pakistan and to save our children from slavery, we have to make sacrifices. Now you guys have to take this decision." 


Gandapur also blamed the rulers for the current situation in Pakistan. He said that “our forefathers sacrificed a lot to get an independent state, but the rulers took loans, did not pay them, and left the country in debt.” 


Citing data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Geo News reported that in September, prices of consumer items further increased as inflation rose to 9% from 8.4% in August. 


While on a monthly basis, inflation increased by 2.1% due to changes in three indices — food, housing, and construction.


Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Awami National Party (ANP) launched a hunger strike camp against the Imran Khan government claiming he had not fulfilled the promises made during the general elections, as per ANI report. 


A senior leader of the Pakhtun nationalist party Ghulam Ahmad Bilour said that the prices of edible items, petroleum products and other daily-use commodities had almost doubled under the Imran Khan government. 


(With agency inputs)


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