Wednesday 11 / March / 2026
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a series of measures intended to curb fuel consumption and reduce government spending amid economic strain caused by the US-Israel war with Iran.
The steps will affect schools, public services, and government workers.
Schools close as universities move online
Schools across Pakistan are scheduled to close for two weeks starting next Monday, a move that would affect roughly 40 million students in a nation of about 250 million. The government said colleges and universities will shift to online classes during the same period.
According to state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, authorities also announced a ban on dinner parties for iftar, the sunset meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan.
Government offices, excluding banks, are expected to scale back operations to four days a week. Half of all public employees will work from home.
Government workers and austerity measures
Fuel allocations for official vehicles will be cut in half for two months, with exceptions for ambulances and public buses, Radio Pakistan reported.
Sharif also said cabinet ministers and advisers will forgo their salaries and allowances, while members of federal and provincial legislatures are expected to take voluntary pay cuts of 25%. Officials further announced a suspension of new official vehicle purchases until June 2026.
Surge of global oil affects the country
As the US-Israel war with Iran disrupts global energy supplies, Pakistan has raised petrol and diesel prices by 55 rupees ($0.20, €0.18) per liter, the largest single increase on record. Because the country imports most of its energy, inflation is particularly sensitive to swings in global fuel prices.
"To stabilize the economy, we have taken difficult decisions," Prime Minister Sharif said in a televised address to the nation. He said the government aims to minimize the burden on citizens, although it has little control over global fuel prices.
