The impact of the war that began with the simultaneous attack of the US and Israel on Iran has started to manifest itself. Against the backdrop of rising oil prices due to the war, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced that schools will be closed for two weeks and government work will be moved online as part of measures to reduce fuel consumption.
Milli.Az reports that all primary and secondary schools in Pakistan have been sent on a two-week vacation.
The workweek in government institutions has been reduced to 4 days, and it has become mandatory for 50% of employees to work from home.
Fuel quotas allocated to government vehicles have been halved for a period of two months.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced a radical energy-saving package on Monday in an address to the nation due to the Middle East war igniting and pushing global oil prices to a record level. The Prime Minister stated that schools across the country will be closed and that a hybrid work model will be implemented for government employees.
The war in the Middle East slowing down oil transportation via the Strait of Hormuz has caused historic increases in fuel prices per liter in Pakistan. As part of the decisions made to alleviate the economic burden:
All primary and secondary schools have been closed for two weeks. Universities have switched entirely to online education to eliminate transportation costs.
The workweek in government institutions (except banks) has been reduced to 4 days, requiring half of the staff to work from home.
Except for emergency services, 60% of official vehicles have been banned from operation.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif stated in his announcement:
"In the face of this energy crisis fueled by the global war, we had to make tough decisions to stabilize our economy. Our goal is to protect our foreign exchange reserves and minimize the inflation burden on our people."
The government has also implemented additional saving measures such as ministers foregoing their salaries, stopping luxury consumption, and imposing restrictions on air conditioning use in government offices.