Pakistan could face economic losses of around Rs. 120 billion every day if planned marches and sit-ins disrupt commercial and government activities, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has warned.
The services sector is expected to bear the largest share of the potential impact, with estimated losses of nearly Rs. 86 billion per day. The industrial sector could lose around Rs. 25 billion, while government revenue may decline by approximately Rs. 17 billion.
Aurangzeb said prolonged disruptions could affect the pace of economic activity at a time when several indicators were showing signs of improvement. He urged political stakeholders to address their differences through dialogue and negotiations.
The minister also highlighted Pakistan’s recent economic indicators, stating that foreign exchange reserves had risen to $21.4 billion. He added that the economy recorded GDP growth of 3.7% during the last financial year.
Other developments cited by Aurangzeb included stronger remittance inflows, a recovery in large-scale manufacturing and improved corporate earnings. He also pointed to increased investment activity in the stock market.
The finance minister emphasized that economic stability depends not only on financial policies but also on an environment where businesses and institutions can continue operating without major interruptions.
He called for political issues to be settled through consensus to limit the economic costs of protests and other forms of disruption. According to the minister, avoiding interruptions would help protect ongoing economic activity and support the positive trends being recorded across different sectors.
