Amid COVID-19, food crisis in Pakistan, Shiv Sena terms Imran Khan incapable

Launching a scathing attack on Pakistan, the Shiv Sena said that despite being a nuclear weapon state, it is a unable to fend for its own population as the coronavirus situation in the country continues to worsen.

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena said Pakistan which is a debt-ridden country and is facing multiple challenges including public health challenge in responding to the COVID-19 as well as severe food crisis. The neighbouring country is struggling with a fragile economy and high poverty and unemployment rates, thus exacerbating the pre-existing conditions.

Coming down heavily on Pakistan, Shiv Sena has raised concerns over the problems being faced by the people in the neighbouring country and said Imran Khan is unable to govern his country as three weeks of wheat stock is left to fend the population.

The editorial of Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana pointed out that the neighbouring country has left with a stock of wheat for three weeks only and is facing a severe shortage of wheat.

"During a meeting with National Price Monitoring Committee of the country, federal minister of Pakistan for Finance Shaukat Tareen informed that Pakistan is in urgent need of 60 metric tonnes (MT) wheat," the editorial said.

It said that last week, the country had left with 6,47,687 MT wheat in their godown.

"Now the stock has been reduced to 38,400 MT. Pakistan will be facing a severe crisis of wheat within two weeks," it said.

Saamana also pointed out that the harvesting of the wheat in Pakistan starts at the end of April and the harvested wheat takes a couple of months to reach the government-owned godowns.

"What will Pakistani citizens eat, if the stock of wheat gets exhausted in the country? How will the government handle the dissatisfaction among its citizens? These concerns are surely haunting the federal government there," the editorial said.

"People are already discontent with Imran Khan-led government due to the the inflation. The federal finance minister has emphasised on increasing the stock of wheat," it said.

The editorial further said that the agricultural department of Pakistan has predicted that atleast 2.60 MT wheat will be produced this year which is short by 30 lakh ton as compared to the annual usage of the country.

"There is no other option left with Pakistan than to import wheat. Pakistan's economy is already in the abyss and now it is facing an unprecedented crisis of wheat shortage," it added.

"Pakistan is currently struggling immensely to deal with the food crisis. Rather than addressing the crisis, Imran Khan pretends to be leading a powerful country but does not have even a penny in his pocket to save his country out of the crises" is added.

(ANI)

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