The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Pakistani media outlet Express Tribune reported that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a four-day work week and work-from-home arrangements for 50% of public and private sector employees to cope with the ongoing fuel crisis caused by Middle East tensions following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
The prime minister said fuel allocated to government
vehicles would be reduced by half for the next two months, excluding
ambulances, while 60% of government department vehicles would be taken off the
roads. He also announced that cabinet members would forgo their salaries for
two months, and salaries of members of parliament would be cut by 25%.
Other austerity measures include a 20% reduction in all non-salary
government expenditures, a ban on government purchases of vehicles, furniture,
and air conditioners, and restrictions on foreign trips by federal and
provincial officials unless deemed essential. Teleconferencing and online
meetings will be prioritized, and official dinners and seminars in hotels will
be prohibited.
The education sector will also be affected, with schools
given two weeks of holidays and higher education institutions immediately
switching to online classes. The industry and agriculture sectors will not be
subject to the work-from-home policy or additional weekly holiday.
PM Shehbaz Sharif warned that anyone attempting to exploit
the crisis, including fuel hoarders and profiteers, would face strict legal
action. He stressed the importance of national unity as Pakistan faces threats
from terrorism along its western border and ongoing regional instability.
