PM Shehbaz reviews petroleum prices, orders strict govt savings measures

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting to review the impact of rising petroleum prices and assess the implementation of government savings measures amid ongoing regional challenges.

During the meeting, officials discussed policies to stabilize petroleum product prices and the use of funds saved through austerity measures for public relief.

It was decided that salaries of employees in state-owned enterprises and autonomous institutions under government patronage would be deducted by 5 to 30 percent, similar to government employees, with proceeds directed toward relief efforts.

The Prime Minister also ordered that corporations with government representatives on their boards will not charge participation fees, and these funds will be added to the savings pool. Additionally, all Pakistani embassies worldwide will observe March 23 celebrations with utmost simplicity.

Key operational decisions included excluding law enforcement agencies and the FBR from the four-day workweek, while all other departments will follow austerity measures such as cutting 50% of fuel for government vehicles and grounding 60% of them for two months. The purchase of new vehicles and other non-essential government procurements has been completely banned.

Cabinet members, ministers, advisors, and special assistants will also contribute their salaries for the next two months to public welfare initiatives, and foreign visits by officials are entirely prohibited, with teleconferencing and online meetings prioritized.

The Prime Minister directed concerned secretaries to implement and monitor all austerity measures, submitting daily reports to the review committee.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Attaullah Tarar, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Chairman FBR, and other senior officials.