Pakistan's government has implemented a series of austerity measures to deal with the global fuel crisis, triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced over a dozen measures, including reducing the workforce by half, moving to a four-day week, and reducing government expenditure by 20% for the next two months.
The government has also reduced fuel allocated to vehicles of government departments by half and hiked the cost of fuel by 55 rupees (20 cents) on Saturday.
Other measures include closing schools for two weeks and universities shifting to online classes, banning unnecessary official foreign tours, and holding seminars and conferences in government buildings instead of hotels.
The measures come as oil prices surged above $100, and gas output from the Middle East was disrupted, triggering panic buying in the import-reliant South Asian nation.
Analysts fear that rising oil prices could see inflation accelerate from 7% to around 9.25% in the April-June quarter, affecting the economic stability achieved in recent years.
