Twitter slams Governor State Bank for "insensitive" comments on rupee devaluation

Updated 22 Oct, 2021
Dr Reza Baqir is under fire for comments on the rupee devaluation.
Dr Reza Baqir is under fire for comments on the rupee devaluation.

Twitter went to town after a short video clip emerged on Thursday of Governor State Bank Dr Reza Baqir explaining how non-resident Pakistanis stand to gain from the rupee's devaluation.

In the video from a discussion in London on Monday, Dr Baqir said: “Rising dollar rates benefit some people and harm others. Overseas Pakistanis benefit because their family members receive more remittances. We should not forget those who benefit. In every economic policy, some people benefit while others do not, so it should also be taken into account how many people have benefited.”

Dr Baqir was speaking at an event organized by Aneel Mussarat, CEO of a U.K.-based real estate investment and development company. Mussarat is known to be close supporter of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He also said: "Obviously, those who buy imported items are facing difficulties. Those who have the ability to go on foreign trips or buy very expensive imported things obviously will be squeezed. But there are those who have benefited, and those are the families of overseas Pakistanis in Pakistan.”

Responses to this video were swift on social media, ranging from anger to a hilarity that Pakistani Twitter is known for.

Economist Uzair Younus broke it down for those not well versed in economic matters.

In an article in Dawn, IBA executive director and renown economist Dr S Akbar Zaidi described Dr Baqir's comments as: “the most irresponsible comment that any public official can make. It shows how the governor of SBP is pandering to the PTI government’s obsession with overseas Pakistani at the cost of Pakistanis at home in the hope that the few who vote will vote for PTI.

Others also took to Twitter to express their criticism of his explanation of the current crisis gripping Pakistan's economy.

While one user did the math for Dr Baqir himself.

And one user dug up an old tweet of his to prove how Dr Baqir came through:

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