ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Yahya Afridi has directed the immediate termination of emergency austerity protocols previously enforced at the Supreme Court, paving the way for a return to standard judicial functioning starting next week.
An official notification dated June 12, issued by the Supreme Court and signed by Senior Assistant Registrar (Admin) Iqbal Hussain, confirmed the formal withdrawal of cost-cutting measures that had been introduced in March.
The document stated, “The Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan has ordered the withdrawal of Notification No.F.22/1/64-2011-SCA dated 10.03.2026,” adding that all austerity steps outlined in that notification will cease to be effective from June 15, 2026.
Consequently, all administrative and judicial activities within the Supreme Court will resume under normal protocols from that date.
These austerity measures were initially implemented on March 10, 2026, as part of a nationwide response to a severe economic crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions. The outbreak of the US-Iran war earlier this year severely disrupted global energy markets.
The conflict caused the closure of vital shipping routes in the Persian Gulf, resulting in a sharp surge in international crude oil prices. For Pakistan, which depends heavily on petroleum imports to power its energy and transportation sectors, this spike led to an immediate balance of payments crisis.
The soaring import costs threatened to exhaust the country’s foreign exchange reserves, compelling the government and state institutions to adopt stringent conservation measures.
In response, the federal government introduced a range of energy-saving policies, including drastic reductions in fuel allocations for government officials, bureaucratic vehicles, and judicial officers. Additionally, hybrid work arrangements, shortened office hours, and compressed workweeks were implemented to reduce electricity consumption. Non-essential institutional purchases, such as new vehicles and luxury items, were also banned.
The Supreme Court’s March 10 notification aligned the judiciary with these national austerity efforts to alleviate pressure on the national budget.
In a significant development, the revocation of these measures on June 15 represents the first major move by a top state institution to normalize operations, reflecting improving stability in energy supply chains.
