No buffets, shops shut by 9 pm: Why Pakistan is bringing back austerity measures - The Indian Express

Pakistan has reintroduced austerity measures to conserve fuel amid rising energy costs linked to the widening conflict in West Asia, including a one-dish limit at weddings and restrictions on official spending and travel.

The federal government announced the measures on Thursday, while commercial closing timings of 9pm for markets, 10pm for marriage halls and 11pm for restaurants continue under existing rules. The federal government has asked provincial and regional authorities to consider adopting similar measures.

The move marks the second time this year that Islamabad has turned to such measures, as it tries to shield the country from rising fuel and energy costs caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Officials say the disruption to oil and gas routes through the Strait of Hormuz and, more recently, the Red Sea, has left Pakistan, which depends heavily on imported energy, especially exposed to price shocks and supply shortages.

According to a notification from the Cabinet Division, seen by Dawn, the measures took effect immediately on Thursday. Shops, markets and general stores must now close by 9pm, wedding halls by 10pm, and restaurants and cafes by 11pm, though takeaway and delivery services are exempt. Hospitals, pharmacies, petrol stations, IT firms and a few other essential services are also exempt from the new closing times.

The Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that the measures include a “reduction of fuel provision by 50 per cent for official vehicles for three months,” alongside a “5 percent reduction in the Non-Employee Related Expenditure Budget for the whole FY 2026-27.” It added that there would be a “complete ban on purchase of all durables except IT procurements and complete ban on foreign visits and travel for three months, even in the case of obligatory visits, except in the case of scholarships.”

The government has also banned the purchase of new vehicles for state use and ordered that only one dish be served at wedding functions. Officials have been told to hold meetings by video call where possible, and no official dinners will be hosted except for visiting foreign delegations. Government-funded seminars and conferences have also been put on hold, with any unavoidable events to be held using existing government venues.

Any requests to be excused from these rules will be reviewed case by case by a special committee, which will then pass its recommendations to the prime minister.

Similar steps were introduced in March, when the government shut schools for two weeks, cut fuel use across departments, and encouraged staff to work from home. Those measures were lifted in June, apart from the market closing times.

Reuters reported that Pakistan is facing the risk of gas and power shortages, as the wider conflict in West Asia disrupts supplies of liquefied natural gas and pushes up the cost of petrol and diesel. Petrol prices rose by 4.10 rupees a litre on Tuesday, while diesel went up by 6.41 rupees, taking petrol to 384.34 rupees a litre and diesel to 415.83 rupees.

To help soften the blow, the government has also rolled out a new fuel subsidy. Under the scheme, which began on Wednesday, owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and small cars can get a subsidy of 100 rupees, or about 36 US cents, per litre, up to a set monthly limit.

Pakistan relies heavily on imported energy, which leaves it exposed to shocks from the ongoing conflict. Fighting between the US and Israel against Iran has already disrupted oil and gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters noted that fighting between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen is now also threatening trade routes through the Red Sea, adding further pressure on the region’s energy markets.

For Pakistan, the result is a difficult mix of rising fuel costs and growing worry over gas and electricity supplies, a situation the government hopes its latest measures will help ease.

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