The Government of Sindh has announced a series of austerity measures to reduce the economic impact of ongoing regional tensions and rising fuel costs.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said schools across the province will observe spring vacations from March 16 to March 31. Colleges and universities will continue academic activities through online classes, although ongoing examinations will proceed as scheduled.
Memon clarified that government offices will remain operational during the week, but officials will work from home on Fridays as part of fuel-saving measures.
The provincial government also announced a 50 percent reduction in fuel allocations for official vehicles, a move expected to save around Rs960 million. In addition, ministers have decided to forgo their salaries for three months, from April to June.
Other steps include a 20 percent cut in non-essential government expenditures such as furniture and stationery purchases, which the government estimates could save nearly Rs12 billion. The purchase of new vehicles has been banned except for essential services such as ambulances and law-enforcement vehicles.
Officials also said unnecessary foreign visits would be restricted, and any essential official travel would be limited to economy class.
The measures follow similar austerity steps announced earlier by Shehbaz Sharif’s federal government amid a global fuel crisis triggered by the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
Meanwhile, other provinces have also introduced fuel-saving policies. The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has ordered universities and colleges to remain closed on Fridays and Saturdays for two months, while encouraging hybrid or online classes during the remaining working days. Similar measures have also been announced in Punjab and Balochistan to reduce fuel consumption.
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