Pakistan opposition mocks Imran Khan govt as rice charity by Saudi Arabia causes stir

Rice charity by Saudi Arabia, days after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the kingdom, has stirred a political row in Islamabad with opposition mocking the ruling government and people viewing it as an outcome of what the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has been calling a "highly successful visit." As per Dawn report, the Saudi aid agency announced donated 19,032 bags of rice after Khan’s trip and hence, it led people to conclude both events interlinked. Pakistani Twitter users as well as the opposition have mocked the Imran Khan-led government over the ‘peculiar’ timing of the rice charity from Saudi Arabia.

While people showcased their disapproval of the nature of the charity, Opposition leader and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari slammed the government. Bilawal said that Pakistan Prime Minister achieved nothing but 19,000 bags of rice in charity from Saudi Arabia in the form of ‘Fira’ and ‘Zakat’. 

"The price of rice bags got in charity is comparatively lesser than the expenses incurred on the tour to the kingdom by Imran Khan along with a couple of dozen of friends and ministers," he said, as quoted by ANI citing another report.

"Imran Khan became the prime minister after 22 years of struggle just to get rice sacks for an atomic power country?" the PPP chairman asked.

Imran Khan’s aid defends rice charity

With growing backlash over rice charity and safeguarding the government’s position, Imran Khan's special aid Tahir Ashrafi said the charity was not new as the poor in Pakistan had received it in the past. As per the report, Ashrafi further also said that the decision for distributing rice bags by the kingdom was taken nearly a month ago. Imran Khan visited Saudi Arabia last week when he held meetings with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Jeddah. Both sides discussed bilateral relations and international issues, as per official releases.

Image credits: AP/Pixabay