‘For us the government is dead’: inflation-hit Lahore trader’s reply to TV anchor

LAHORE: A local trader in the historic Anarkali Bazaar has delivered a sharp and emotional statement against the country’s economic situation and government policies.

When an anchor of private TV channel Lahore Rang asked whether he was happy with the present government, the trader, without hesitation, criticised the government and vented his frustration in unusual terms.

آپ حکومت سے خوش نہیں ہیں؟ اینکر کا تاجر سے سوال
بالکل خوش نہیں ہیں، جیسے ماں باپ کا کوئی بچہ برا نکل آئے تو اسے کہتے ہیں کہ اسے گھر سے نکالو، یہ ہمارے لیے مر گیا ہے، ہم کہتے ہیں ہمارے لیے ہماری حکومت مر گئی ہے، لاہوری تاجر کا جواب pic.twitter.com/NfLCErqdUE

— Muhammad Zeeshan Awan (@surrakimuhammad) September 3, 2026

“We are not happy with this government at all,” he said. “If parents have a wayward and unworthy child, they get fed up and say throw him out of the house — for us he is already dead. In the same way, we traders today say that for us this government is dead.”

آج عمران خان باہر آجائے، یہ سارے چور اچکے 11 ارب روپے کے جہاز میں نہ بھاگے تو ہمیں بھی انار کلی بازار میں نہ دیکھنا، لاہوری تاجر کی گفتگو pic.twitter.com/I4GKv9paZC

— Muhammad Zeeshan Awan (@surrakimuhammad) September 3, 2026

Further criticising the government and political leadership, the trader mentioned PTI founder Imran Khan and claimed in a challenging tone: “If Imran Khan comes out of jail today and all these thieves and pickpockets do not flee the country in an 11-billion-rupee luxury plane, then never see us in this Anarkali Bazaar again.”