Pakistani woman slams PM Shehbaz Sharif over skyrocketing inflation, cries inconsolably in viral video

The viral video was shared by Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir. The woman, identified as Rabia from Karachi, could be seen crying and complaining about the financial problems she was facing after the rise in inflation.

The video was shared by Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir

Karachi: Amid increasing inflation, a video of a Pakistani woman has surfaced, expressing concerns over describing the skyrocketing prices of medicines, groceries and electricity in the country, especially in Karachi city and slamming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz for not taking adequate steps.

The video was shared by Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir. The woman, identified as Rabia from Karachi, could be seen crying and complaining about the financial problems she was facing after the rise in inflation.

کراچی سے تعلق رکھنے والی ایک ماں نے حکمرانوں کو اپنا بجلی کا بل اور کچن کے لئے اشیاء کی خریداری کا بل دکھا کر کچھ سوال پوچھے میں نے یہ سوال مفتاح اسماعیل کو بھیج دئیے مفتاح صاحب نے جواب بھجوا دیا ہے لیکن پہلے ایک ماں کا دکھڑا سن لیں pic.twitter.com/THahmjAjUL — Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) August 9, 2022

In the viral video, the Karachi woman could be seen slamming the government over skyrocketing inflation. The woman seeks to ask the government whether she should end her children's lives by not feeding them anymore.

The woman, identified as Rabia from Karachi, could be seen crying and complaining about the financial problems she was facing after the rise in inflation. She said that the rulers should tell her how to manage her expenses after rising the prices of essential commodities.

"What should I do, paying house rent, hefty electricity bills, purchase milk and medicines for my kids, feed my children or should I kill them?" she asked in the video, cited by The News International.

Rabia, who has two children, said that one of her children is having fits and she could not buy medicine as prices have gone up manifolds.

"Can I avoid purchasing medicines for my child?" she further asked. "The government has almost killed the poor people. Are you really afraid of being questioned by Allah Almighty or not?"

Reacting to her video, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Tuesday defended the country's economic situation. He clarified that the government did not increase the electricity tariff in June neither it imposed new taxes on medicines.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif's coalition government, which took over in April 2022, is grappling with multiple political and economic crises. Its current account deficit has surged to USD 17.4 billion or 4.6 per cent the size of the economy during the last fiscal year on the rising trade deficit.

A surging current account deficit amid depleting dollar inflows from multilateral and bilateral lenders, as well as shrinking foreign investment have brought the foreign exchange reserves and rupee under enormous pressure over the last several months. It has stoked rapid inflation, forced the State Bank to boost borrowing costs to a multiyear high and eroded investor confidence in the economy.