According to Pakistani media reports, the country’s total debt has reached PKR 81 trillion. Of this amount, PKR 26 trillion is external debt, while PKR 55 trillion is domestic debt.
Based on Pakistan’s population of around 250 million, this means that each citizen owes approximately PKR 325,000.
Economic analysts warn that this level of debt places severe pressure on Pakistan’s economy and is significantly affecting the daily lives of ordinary people.
This comes after Pakistan, in exchange for some of its heavy debts, reportedly sold its F-16 fighter jets and other military equipment to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, fuel prices, along with the cost of food and non-food items, have surged sharply due to Middle East conflicts and road closures with Afghanistan.
Currently, the price of one liter of diesel in Pakistan is around PKR 520, while petrol costs approximately PKR 458 per liter.
Activists in the former provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which are under Pakistan’s central administration, say they are among the hardest hit by these debts.
They argue that the wealth of these regions has long been controlled by Punjab, leaving local populations deprived of their resources.
Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa activists are calling on residents to resist the central government’s policies and continue their struggle to reclaim control over their resources.
It is worth noting that Pakistan currently faces unprecedented economic and domestic security challenges due to flawed government policies, which has triggered strong public backlash.
