{
  "id": 9235666,
  "title": "No questions asked",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/no-questions-asked",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T01:05:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40440739/no-questions-asked"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Federal finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held a press conference without allowing reporters to ask questions. He claimed that daily losses of 120 billion rupees occur due to strikes, sit-ins, marches, and road blockades, labeling them as \"self-inflicted pain\" and stating that the economy is stabilizing and growing. However, he did not provide numbers on how government actions to quell protests affect the economy. These actions include using private vehicles to transport security forces and restricting access to certain areas, leading to traffic congestion and increased fuel consumption. The minister should compile data on the economic impact of government interventions, as the International Monetary Fund has recommended. The foreign exchange reserves have risen to 21,389 million dollars as of September 11, but they are only sufficient for two-and-a-half to three months of imports. The trade deficit has increased by 13 percent, and remittances from Pakistanis working abroad are also rising. The government is heavily reliant on borrowing to pay for imports, as evidenced by recent Eurobond issuances and the pending request for a 10 billion-dollar loan from the United States. Inflation is a significant issue, with the sensitive Price Index increasing by 10.64 percent year-on-year, mostly due to higher prices for food and fuel. Social indicators show that 44.7 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, with 16.5 percent in extreme poverty. The Finance Minister should prioritize addressing issues that directly affect the public's well-being while considering innovative policies and reducing current government spending to create fiscal space for IMF support.",
  "summary": "EDITORIAL: Federal finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb called a press briefing—during which he entertained no questions from reporters—and maintained that the country suffers a daily loss of 120 billion rupees due to strikes, sit-ins, long marches, and road blockades. He termed such disruptions “self-inflicted pain” and deemed them ill-advised given that the economy has achieved stabilization and…",
  "key_points": [
    "Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held press conference without Q&A",
    "Daily losses from strikes amount to 120 billion rupees",
    "Government actions impact economy, IMF recommends data compilation"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}