Officials said rolling back austerity measures would ensure smoother functioning of judicial work.
The Supreme Court said that as a constitutional body under Article 175 of the Constitution, it must have the autonomy to conceive, design and approve infrastructure projects in accordance with its institutional requirements. Photo: Online
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court withdrew its earlier austerity measures, restoring the entire work program and reversing cuts in fuel allocations and security arrangements after the approval of Pakistan’s Chief Justice Yahya Afridi.
According to a notification issued after the chief justice’s approval, the austerity policy introduced on March 10, 2026 will officially end on June 15, 2026 and all court operations will return to normal.
As part of the previous measures, the Supreme Court had reduced its working days to four (Monday to Thursday) as part of a cost-cutting initiative. However, with the withdrawal of the notification, the court will now resume its usual working schedule of six days, Monday to Saturday.
The March notification also included a 50 percent reduction in the monthly gasoline quota for judges and authorized officers, as well as restrictions on the use of additional security and protocol vehicles in high-security zones.
The SC also introduced staggered presence of court staff to reduce energy consumption and operational costs. The court has now reversed all of these measures and will operate according to its standard procedures and schedules.
Officials said rolling back austerity measures would ensure smoother functioning of judicial work and facilitate better access to justice, while routine operations would resume without restrictions.
The federal government on Wednesday extended a series of austerity measures until June 30 and allowed free-standing grocery and general stores to remain open until 10 p.m., following a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
Earlier this month, the federal government relaxed business closing hours as part of revised energy-saving measures, citing rising temperatures and longer daylight hours in summer.
