Pakistan unveils sweeping fuel-saving austerity plan
“Pakistan has rolled out a nationwide austerity package to reduce fuel use and contain public-sector spending.”
Key points
- Pakistan has rolled out a nationwide austerity package to reduce fuel use and contain public-sector spending.
- The measures include work-from-home rules, fewer official vehicles on roads, salary cuts for top officeholders and temporary school closures.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a broad austerity package aimed at cutting fuel consumption and limiting government spending as Pakistan responds to the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict.
Under the plan, fuel allocations for government departments will be reduced by half for two months and a majority of official vehicles will remain off the road. Cabinet members, advisers and special assistants will forgo salaries for two months, while parliamentarians will take a salary cut and government departments will trim expenditures.
The package also includes a ban on most foreign visits, restrictions on procurement of vehicles and air-conditioners for offices, and a halt to official dinners and iftar events. Public and private offices are to adopt work-from-home arrangements for half of their staff, while offices will shift to a four-day workweek, with banks exempted. Schools are also set to close for two weeks as part of the conservation push.
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