The Pakistani government has announced a fresh austerity package aimed at conserving fuel and curbing non-essential expenditure amid renewed tensions in West Asia and disruptions affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
The measures include a complete ban on purchasing government vehicles and a 50 per cent reduction in fuel allocations for official vehicles. The government has also introduced a single-dish rule for marriage functions as part of its efforts to reduce consumption.
Pakistan Imposes Three-Month Spending Curbs
The Cabinet Division issued the notification on Thursday, September 17, with the measures taking immediate effect. Some restrictions, including a ban on foreign travel by federal officials, will remain in force for at least three months.
Pakistan has imposed a three-month restriction on foreign travel. In cases where travel is considered essential, ministers, advisors and officials will be required to fly economy class, according to Samaa TV.
The government has also ordered that only one dish be served at marriage-related functions, with the measure intended in part to reduce oil consumption, Dawn reported.
Shops, markets, shopping malls, departmental stores and grocery stores have been directed to close by 9 PM.
Wedding halls, marquees and other commercial venues must shut by 10 PM, while restaurants, cafes and food outlets have been ordered to close by 11 PM.
Several essential services, including pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and fuel and CNG stations, have been exempted from the operating-hour restrictions, according to Dawn.
Official Vehicles Face 50% Fuel Cut
Under the new measures, fuel allocations for government vehicles will be reduced by 50 per cent for three months.
However, operational vehicles belonging to the armed forces, civil armed forces, law enforcement agencies and essential services have been excluded from the fuel restrictions.
The latest package comes against the backdrop of renewed turmoil in West Asia, with the government seeking to conserve fuel supplies and control expenditure as regional tensions disrupt key maritime routes.
Tensions have intensified around the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The Iran-backed Houthis have reportedly seized control of several islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategically important global shipping route.
In the Strait of Hormuz, a Togo-flagged tanker was struck, with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) saying the vessel had attempted an “illegal passage” through the waterway.
Pakistan Had Introduced Similar Measures
Islamabad had introduced comparable austerity measures in March following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran. At the time, schools were shut for two weeks and the government introduced measures to reduce fuel consumption, including work-from-home arrangements for government employees.
The latest restrictions represent another effort by Pakistan to limit fuel consumption and government spending as uncertainty surrounding regional security and maritime trade persists.
The government's latest package combines restrictions on official travel and vehicle use with measures affecting commercial operating hours and marriage functions, while exempting key public services and operational security vehicles.