No consensus on smart confinement for energy savings; Punjab suspends purchase of 100 government vehicles
Maryam Nawaz, Chief Minister of Punjab. Photo: File
The Punjab government has decided not to impose a smart lockdown in the province, sources said, following recommendations presented to the chief minister.
The sources in the Punjab government said PK Press Club Express that the decision came after no consensus could be reached on the implementation of smart locking for energy savings. The government has instead chosen to adopt alternative measures.
Discussions are underway to convene the next meeting of the austerity monitoring committee next week. The meeting will consider the extension of previous decisions and report on the results of the first session of the committee.
Read: Punjab schools shift to four-day week
In line with austerity measures adopted amid the global energy crisis, the Punjab government has suspended the purchase of 100 vehicles for various departments. Sources confirmed that no new orders have been issued and no payments have been made for the purchase of vehicles.
Officials also expressed concern that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could disrupt several development projects. Two purchases of bulletproof vehicles have been halted, while departments are expected to continue using existing vehicles for the time being. All future vehicle acquisitions will be limited to hybrid or electric models, the sources said.
Acting in the same vein, the Punjab School Education Department announced on Wednesday that all government and private schools in the province would now operate only four days a week, remaining closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled several energy-saving and austerity measures to avoid fuel shortages and said he would not further raise prices of petroleum products after a massive 55 rupees per liter hike, seeking to placate a nervous public while bearing the cost of the price hike.
In line with the federal government’s directives, the provinces also announced several austerity measures, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordering the suspension of government-supplied fuel for provincial ministers until the oil supply situation stabilizes.
Punjab also expanded remote working in government offices, allowing only essential staff to report to their workplaces while others carried out their tasks from home. In addition, authorities have reduced official outdoor events and postponed several public gatherings.
