A minister in Pakistan’s newly elected government faced criticism Wednesday following his plea to the nation to drink less tea to help save on imports amid a deepening economic crisis.
Pakistan is among the world’s top tea importers, a hugely popular drink among both the rich and the poor in this country of 220 million people. The government has to spend about $600 million dollars from the central bank’s hard currency reserves for tea imports annually.
A Pakistani is believed to drink at least three cups of tea a day on average, the nation’s caffeinated drink of choice.
