Inflation will ease in three to four months, says PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Saturday that inflation will ease within three to four months as pandemic pressures on the economy subside.

"The entire world was facing the challenge of inflation due to lockdowns in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic," the premier said while addressing a ceremony in Mianwali.

Tarin says govt committed to fuelling growth

"Prices of essential items have increased across the world. Pakistan is suffering from it too. But I promise that this phase will end in the upcoming three to four months," he said.

Sharing a similar view, adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin said earlier this week that Pakistan’s economy is growing by over 5%, expressing optimism that inflation would decline in the coming months as the international commodity rate stabilizes.

“We are witnessing economic growth, which is a fact that cannot be opposed,” Tarin said while talking to media in Peshawar. “Two years ago, we were seeing negative growth, but now the trend has reversed, and according to us it is over 5%.”

The advisor said that the country is facing imported inflation due to four, five items including POL, edible oil, coal, and steel.

Meanwhile, PM Khan broke ground for 23 development projects in health, education, and road sectors worth around Rs 36 billion for the uplift of District Mianwali.

“God willing, when we will complete our five years, I can claim, Mianwali will witness the development which never happened in the history… I always promised that if I get a chance, I will provide (the people) their right through my performance,” the prime minister said.

Govt optimistic to achieve over 5% economic growth, says Tarin

The prime minister said that this was his plan not just for Mianwali but also for Bakhar, Rajanpur, DG Khan, Balochistan, and every area which was ignored by the previous governments.

"We will start this with education, especially for women," he said. "Today I want to tell you that when the NUML University was built, I collected money for it myself."

PM Khan said that his government was ready to talk to everyone except those who looted the country's wealth. "Only the ones whom we will never make any reconciliation with are those who looted and laundered the Pakistani people’s money,” he said.

The prime minister said that in order to take the pressure of inflation away from the poor, the government had announced Ehsaas Rashan Scheme to provide a 30 percent subsidy on flour, ghee, and pulses to those with below Rs50,000 monthly income.