The federal government of Pakistan has initiated a thorough evaluation of its fuel conservation and austerity policies following explicit instructions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In a decisive move to curb excessive fuel consumption and promote fiscal discipline, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has been assigned the critical responsibility of conducting a comprehensive audit across all government departments. This audit aims to verify adherence to the newly implemented measures, assess their overall effectiveness, and provide detailed weekly progress reports directly to the Prime Minister’s office.
To reinforce these efforts, the Cabinet Division has issued a formal notification enhancing the monitoring framework, ensuring that every government entity strictly follows the prescribed fuel-saving and austerity protocols. This enhanced oversight mechanism is expected to close any loopholes and guarantee that the directives are not only implemented but also yield tangible results in resource management. Officials involved in the process believe that the findings from this audit will offer valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of current policies, enabling informed adjustments to improve efficiency and reduce wastage.
These developments come on the heels of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of wide-ranging austerity measures aimed at addressing the mounting economic challenges facing the country. The government’s strategy includes a significant cutback on petrol consumption by official vehicles, mandating a 50 percent reduction in fuel use over the next two months. However, essential services such as ambulances and public transport buses have been exempted to ensure uninterrupted service delivery. Furthermore, 60 percent of departmental vehicles will be temporarily withdrawn from active duty, and all purchases of non-essential items—including vehicles, furniture, and air conditioners—have been put on hold indefinitely.
In addition to these operational restrictions, the Prime Minister has ordered salary reductions and suspensions to demonstrate solidarity with the public and contribute to relief efforts. Cabinet members, ministers, advisers, and special assistants will voluntarily forgo their salaries for a period of two months. Members of Parliament will face a 25 percent cut in their pay, while senior government officers in Grade 20 and above, earning monthly salaries exceeding Rs300,000, will have two days’ worth of pay deducted. The funds collected through these salary adjustments are earmarked for public welfare and relief initiatives.
Beyond salary and fuel cuts, government departments have been instructed to reduce non-salary expenditures by 20 percent. To further conserve fuel, teleconferencing and virtual meetings will be prioritized, minimizing the need for physical travel. Additionally, only half of the workforce in both government and private sectors will be required to report to offices, except for those involved in essential services. Offices will operate on a four-day workweek, introducing an extra holiday to reduce energy consumption and operational costs. Official events will be restricted to government premises, and all outdoor public gatherings have been prohibited to support these austerity measures.
Education institutions are also adapting to these directives. Schools across the country will observe a two-week holiday starting this weekend, while universities and colleges will immediately transition to online learning platforms to maintain academic continuity. This shift aims to reduce transportation-related fuel consumption and align with the broader austerity goals.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued a stern warning to those hoarding or profiteering from petrol, diesel, and other essential commodities, emphasizing that strict legal action will be taken against offenders. The government has also directed all provincial administrations to implement these austerity and conservation measures rigorously and efficiently to maximize their impact. The Prime Minister underscored that these steps are temporary and precautionary, designed to alleviate the economic burden on citizens while promoting the responsible use of public resources amid the ongoing financial crisis.
