Watch: Pakistan minister asks people to cut down on tea because…

Pakistan has to borrow money to import tea and given the present economic crisis of the country, people have been advised to sacrifice at least one or two cups of tea per day.

Pakistan planning minister Ahsan Iqbal has urged the people of the country to cut down on their tea intake by a cup or two because Pakistan imports tea and for that, it has to borrow money. Until the country becomes independent in tea production, people should avoid all such items (which Pakistan does not produce), the minister said on Tuesday.

Pakistanis have been asked to cut down on their daily intake of tea, 

According to reports, Pakistan consumed tea worth ₹83.88 billion (USD 400 million) in the fiscal year 2021-22. “I appeal to the nation to cut down the consumption of tea by 1-2 cups because we import tea on loan," the minister said.

According to Pakistani media, the federal budget document for the outgoing fiscal year showed that Pakistan imported ₹13 billion (USD 60 million) worth of more tea than the last fiscal year. In the fiscal year 2020-21, ₹70.82 billion (USD 340 million) was spent on the import of tea.

The video has gone viral with people connecting this latest tea diktat with the tea episode of the Abhinandan Varthaman tea episode. Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was held captive in {Pakistan in 2019 after his fighter MiG was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force. In a video released by the Pakistan army, Abhinandan Varthaman said the tea he was given was good. Later, Abhinandan was freed but the tea remained a meme for social media revellers.

Many Pakistanis wondered whether cutting down their daily tea consumption will help Pakistan tide over the economic crisis.