Finance Minister Reveals Daily Cost of Protests in Pakistan

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has disclosed that political demonstrations and occupations in Pakistan may incur a daily expense of Rs. 120 billion. During a recorded statement on Sunday, Aurangzeb emphasized that the services industry would bear the brunt of extended protests, incurring an estimated loss of Rs. 86 billion each day.

The industrial sector could suffer a daily loss of approximately Rs. 25 billion, while agriculture would incur a daily loss of Rs. 9 billion, collectively leading to an estimated daily impact of Rs. 120 billion. Aurangzeb also projected that the government might forfeit an additional Rs. 17 billion in revenue if the protests continue.

He noted that prior protests had also resulted in extra costs for the national treasury, including logistics, transportation, fuel expenses, and security deployments. Aurangzeb underlined the significance of maintaining economic activity as Pakistan pursues export-driven growth. He also mentioned the IT sector's susceptibility to disruptions, with IT exports totaling $811 million in July and August, averaging around $13 million per day.

Previous internet outages had caused IT exports to plummet by up to 80 percent. Aurangzeb recalled that Pakistan required around one and a half months to recuperate from the economic repercussions of the December 2025 strike. He implored political stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue.