The Federal Government has announced a series of fuel conservation and austerity measures, including a fifty percent reduction in the provision of fuel to official vehicles, with immediate effect.

According to a Cabinet Division notification issued today, operational vehicles of the Armed Forces, Civil Armed Forces, Law Enforcement Agencies, Essential Services and FBR will remain exempt, while the measure will apply to administrative and non-operational formations of these entities.

The government has also ordered a five percent reduction in the Non-ERE Budget for the current fiscal year, with deductions to be made on a monthly basis. The measure will also apply to foreign missions, while expenditure on rents, educational fees and medical care arrangements will continue to be met.

A complete ban has been imposed on the purchase of vehicles of all types and on the purchase of durables, except IT-related procurements.

Foreign visits and travel will remain banned for three months, including obligatory visits, with exemptions for scholarships offered by international development partners, training and courses arranged through the Economic Affairs Division, and programmes under institutional agreements.

In unavoidable cases, Ministers, Advisors, Ministers of State, Special Assistants to the Prime Minister, parliamentarians and government functionaries will travel only in economy class.

The government has directed that meetings should preferably be held through teleconferencing, except for intra-city meetings.

It has also prohibited official dinners, except those hosted for visiting foreign delegations, and banned government-funded official seminars, trainings and conferences. Where such events are unavoidable, government venues will be used.

The government has further directed that only a single dish be served at all marriage-related functions and events.

The existing market closing timings notified by the Cabinet Division will continue to apply.

Shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars and departmental, grocery, general and kiryana stores will close by 9:00 p.m. Marriage halls and other commercial venues hosting festive events will be closed by 10:00 p.m., while restaurants, cafés, eateries, food outlets and standalone fruit and vegetable shops will close by 11:00 p.m.

Takeaway and home delivery services will remain exempt from the restaurant closing time.

Pharmacies, medical stores, hospitals, clinics, laboratories, standalone bakeries, tandoors, milk and dairy shops, fuel and CNG stations, electric vehicle charging stations, gyms, sports facilities, IT companies and call centres will remain exempt from the closing-time restrictions.

The Federal Government has also asked Provincial and Regional Governments to consider adopting similar fuel conservation and austerity measures.