ISLAMABAD, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's federal government Thursday announced a fresh round of austerity and fuel conservation measures effective immediately, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, as authorities move to curb public spending amid rising fuel costs.
The measures, approved on the recommendations of a government committee tasked with monitoring fuel conservation and austerity, include a 50-percent cut in fuel provision for official vehicles for three months. The armed forces, civil armed forces, law enforcement agencies, essential services and the Federal Board of Revenue are exempt, except for their administrative or non-operational formations, and development projects remain unaffected.
The government has also ordered a 5-percent reduction in the non-employee-related expenditure for the current fiscal year 2026-27, to be deducted monthly, a measure that will extend to Pakistani missions abroad and staff posted there, though their rent, education and medical costs will still be covered.
A complete ban has been placed on the purchase of vehicles and durable goods, with the exception of information technology procurements. All foreign travel has been suspended for three months, including for otherwise mandatory engagements, with limited exemptions for scholarships and training arranged through official channels. Pakistani ambassadors will represent the country at important events abroad in place of visiting officials.
Under the new rules, government meetings will be held via teleconferencing where possible, official dinners have been suspended except for visiting foreign delegations, and government-funded seminars and conferences have been banned. Only a single dish will be permitted at wedding functions, according to the notification.
The directive also reaffirmed market closing times set earlier this year, requiring shops, malls and restaurants to shut between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., while hospitals, pharmacies, gyms and IT-related businesses remain exempt.
The provincial and regional governments have also been encouraged to adopt similar measures.
Pakistan has repeatedly tightened public spending in recent years as it grapples with a difficult external financing position and elevated energy import costs. ■
