ISLAMABAD: The Senate Secretariat has allowed employees to work from home on Fridays as part of new austerity measures aimed at reducing government expenditure.
Under the notification, employees will be permitted to work remotely on Fridays when no Senate session is scheduled. However, they will be required to remain available by phone, email and WhatsApp. If needed, employees working from home may be called to the office with one hour’s notice.
The Senate Secretariat’s office hours have been set from 9am to 4pm. Employees will also be required to obtain permission from the competent authority before leaving their station.
The new austerity measures include a ban on the purchase of new vehicles for the Senate Secretariat. Fuel allocations for official vehicles will also be reduced by 50 percent for the next three months.
According to the notification, a 5 percent cut has been approved in the non-ERE budget of the Senate Secretariat for the fiscal year 2026-27. Senate Secretariat meetings will preferably be conducted through video conferencing, while virtual meetings of standing committees will also be encouraged.
The measures also call for minimizing the number of meetings and impose a ban on the purchase of durable goods, with IT equipment exempted from the restriction.
A complete ban on foreign visits by Senate Secretariat officials has been imposed for three months. However, travel related to scholarships offered by international partners will remain exempt.
The notification also prohibits official dinners, except those involving foreign delegations, as well as government-funded seminars and conferences. For unavoidable events, officials have been directed to use the Senate’s auditorium and other existing government facilities.
As part of further efforts to cut expenses, the Senate Secretariat has also decided to adopt a paperless working environment.
The notification stated that all additional austerity measures would take effect immediately.
