By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The government called on the public on Thursday to step up fuel-conservation efforts, warning that supplies of petroleum products could come under pressure in the coming days as instability in the Middle East intensifies.
The appeal was contained in an official handout issued after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting in the capital on the implementation of austerity and fuel-saving measures unveiled by his administration last week. Those steps were triggered by the global oil-market fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran, which has already strained supplies in Pakistan and other countries.
Officials briefed the gathering on current fuel reserves, domestic consumption patterns and incoming petroleum cargoes. The meeting was told that stocks remain adequate to meet national requirements and that procurement arrangements for additional supplies are already in place, according to the Prime Minister’s Office statement. Yet participants were also warned that the “unstable situation in the Middle East and the region” could still severely disrupt deliveries, forcing further conservation steps in the days ahead.
Sharif directed his government to draw up a comprehensive emergency strategy in coordination with the provinces to ensure any supply crunch can be managed, the handout said. The premier also instructed all relevant departments to stay ready for immediate action “until the situation improves.” He noted that the existing policy of austerity and savings had already made it possible to deliver relief to the public.
Among the measures introduced last week are a 50% cut in fuel allowances for official vehicles, a four-day work week for much of the public sector and a requirement that half of non-essential government staff work from home. Essential-service workers are exempt.
The meeting received an update on compliance with those directives. The Intelligence Bureau has been assigned to monitor implementation nationwide and conduct a formal audit, with a report to be submitted to the government. Sharif and other participants were assured that instructions issued under his orders were being strictly followed.
The handout urged affluent Pakistanis to lead by example in embracing austerity. It also called on ordinary citizens to conserve petrol and diesel, adopt carpooling, limit non-essential travel and reduce commuting wherever possible. “The country would have to be prepared for all kinds of situations and … people would have to adapt their practices in light of the changing situation,” the statement said.
A central monitoring system has been put in place to track petroleum-product movements and flag any irregularities quickly so corrective action can be taken, officials told the meeting. Attending alongside Sharif were Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, National Security Adviser Lt. General Asim Malik and several federal ministers.
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