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People in Pakistan have been asked to reduce the amount of tea they drink to keep the country's economy afloat. Sipping fewer cups a day would cut Pakistan's high import bills, senior minister Ahsan Iqbal said. The country's low foreign currency reserves - currently enough for fewer than two months of all imports - have left it in urgent need of funds. Pakistan is the world's largest importer of tea, buying in more than $600m (拢501m) worth last year. "I appeal to the nation to cut down the consumption of tea by one to two cups because we import tea on loan," Mr Iqbal said, according to Pakistani media. Pakistan's senior minister Ahsan Iqbal thinks he has a solution saying, "Sipping fewer cups a day would cut Pakistan's high import bills".

This has prompted intriguing responses from Pakistan's tea-people. One says that they drink two or three cups of tea every day in the summer, and during the winter, their consumption doubles. They go on to say, "As for the minister's request I can only say that I am very very sorry but I can't bring down my tea consumption. No chance!"
While stirring a cup of tea, Khizra Munir from Karachi she is a "chai addict". She adds, "Tea is a sort of an elixir that rejuvenates the soul. How can you take away the one good thing that we have in our lives?"

Photo: Two cups of tea Credit: Getty Images