'India sent its VP, why did Shehbaz go': Pakistanis fume over PM attending UK coronation amid peak inflation

Pakistanis are lashing out at their Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto for making foreign trips at a time when their country is facing record inflation and is going through a severe economic crisis. Shehbaz Sharif is currently in the UK while Bhutto recently visited India for the SCO Summit in Goa. Sharif is visiting the UK for King's coronation but many claim that this was an excuse to meet his elder brother Nawaz Sharif, who is in London.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday slammed Shehbaz Sharif for visiting the UK. Addressing a rally in Lahore, Khan said: "I want to ask PM Shehbaz what he is doing in London at a time when six Pakistan Army soldiers have been martyred and eight people were killed in Parachinar and inflation in the country is rising." 

Pakistan's inflation in April reached a record high of 36.4 per cent, higher than Sri Lanka's. With this, Pakistan's inflation is now the highest in Asia. Also, the cash-strapped country's weekly inflation has reached an all-time high of 48.35 per cent.

Also read: IMF denies Pakistan government's claim of meeting loan conditions

Khan, who was dethroned from power in April 2022, also targeted Bilawal Bhutto and asked him whether he asked anybody before visiting India. "Pakistan is being humiliated in the world. We ask the question, Bilawal you are touring the entire world but first tell us, before going, do you ask anyone that you are spending the country's money on a trip, so what will be the benefit or loss from it," he said. Khan further asked what benefit was gained from his visit to India.

Also read: 'Will be in mess for years': Ex-Pakistan FM's shocking revelation on economic crisis - Watch explosive speech 

Moeed Pirzada, a senior columnist and blogger, too questioned the Prime Minister's visit to the UK. He also shared a picture of Sharif with a woman and asked whether he had taken his daughter to attend King Charles' coronation. "Has PM Shahbaz Sharif taken his daughter to attend King Charles Coronation? Is this shameless PR paid by taxpayers as per state policies? Or there are no state policies to regulate such personal ambitions?" Pirzada asked.

Replying to this tweet, a Twitter user said India sent just the Vice President to the coronation but Pakistan sent the Prime Minister and his daughter-in-law. From India, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar attended King Charles' coronation held on Saturday in London.

Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, defended Sharif saying the invitation was plus one for all heads of governments. "He chose to take his daughter-in-law. Do you not know the norms or this is yet another one of your propaganda n lies."

However, another assistant to Sharif said that Prime Minister's daughter-in-law lives in London and that she was there "at a material time". She lives in London and was there at the material time. From whence she accompanied the PM to the coronation ceremony, at no extra cost to anybody," said Jawad Sohrab, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (State Minister).