ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced a fresh package of austerity and fuel-conservation measures aimed at reducing government expenditure and curbing fuel consumption.
Under the new measures, fuel quotas for government vehicles will be reduced by 50% for three months. Operational vehicles, essential services and vehicles associated with development projects will remain exempt from the fuel cuts.
The government has also decided to reduce the non-ERE budget for fiscal year 2026-27 by 5% and impose a complete ban on the purchase of new vehicles of all types, including official government vehicles.
The purchase of durable goods will also be prohibited, except for IT-related procurement.
Restrictions on Official Travel
The federal government has imposed restrictions on foreign and domestic official travel for three months, while specified exemptions will remain in place.
In cases where foreign travel is deemed unavoidable, ministers, advisers and government officials will be required to travel only in economy class.
Government departments have also been directed to prioritize video conferencing for official meetings to reduce travel-related expenditure.
Hosting official dinners will be completely prohibited, except for events involving foreign delegations. Government-funded seminars, training programmes and conferences will also be barred.
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For unavoidable official events, government auditoriums and committee rooms will be used instead of external venues.
Business and Commercial Timings
The government has also announced changes to business and commercial operating hours.
Shops, markets, shopping malls and bazaars will close at 9pm, while wedding halls, marquees and other event venues will close at 10pm.
Restaurants, cafes and food outlets will close at 11pm, with takeaway and home-delivery services exempt from the restriction.
Pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, petrol stations and other essential services will be exempt from the prescribed timings.
Bakeries, tandoors, milk and dairy shops, electric-vehicle charging stations and gyms will also remain exempt.
Other Measures
The government has decided that wedding ceremonies will be required to serve only one dish as part of the austerity drive.
Requests for exemptions from the austerity measures will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Provincial and regional governments may also consider adopting similar austerity measures within their respective jurisdictions.
