‘Imran Khan is crushing the poor’: anger rises as inflation grips Pakistan

Economic meltdown heaps pressure on Pakistani PM, with record inflation bringing threat of unrest

On Friday night, 27-year-old Asadullah, who sold old shoes on a cart, set himself on fire in the Pakistani city of Karachi.

Ghani, a relative, blamed the state of an economy where rampant inflation is hitting those least able to cope. In comments to local media, he said Asadullah used to get calls from his wife and parents asking him for money, but he could not afford to pay the rent and meet his own expenses and sending money back home was no longer possible.