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Martinaelikovi
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The 'relief' in energy prices announced by a beleaguered Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday is simply a populist move to divert the public anger against his government towards his political opponents, and to also improve his party's electoral chances in 2023 or sooner. That is not all.
His government has announced yet another tax amnesty to allow those who had not availed a similar scheme for housing and construction previously to launder their illegitimate wealth by investing it in industry. Obviously, the prime minister is scrambling to win over different segments of society, with the combined opposition turning up the heat through protest rallies and by reaching out to his allies and dissenting PTI lawmakers for a planned vote of no-confidence against him.
It is hard to say at the moment whether the government will survive a vote of no-confidence, or indeed, if the opposition actually has the numbers to succeed in its strategy against him. But not with standing the outcome of the exercise, if and when it happens, it is clear that the opposition's cumulative efforts in this direction over the last one month have disturbed the ruling party. The reduction in motor fuel and electricity prices, and the cap on their new rates for the next four months through June, will cost the exchequer Rs130bn.