Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed all federal ministries and divisions to rigorously implement the government’s austerity and energy conservation policies in response to the current regional circumstances. This directive was issued during a review meeting held in Islamabad, where the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of these measures for maintaining economic stability.

According to Radio Pakistan, the meeting resulted in the decision to observe an additional weekly holiday on Friday as part of the government’s efforts to conserve energy. Prime Minister Sharif highlighted the government’s commitment to stabilizing the economy despite global challenges, announcing the formation of a special committee led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. This committee will oversee the daily progress of the austerity and energy conservation initiatives and provide regular reports.

In a move to ensure transparency and effectiveness, the Prime Minister ordered a third-party audit of the austerity measures. He also instructed all federal ministries and divisions to enforce policies related to simplicity, austerity, and energy conservation comprehensively. Additionally, ministries are required to submit photographs of vehicles removed from service under the austerity policy to the Cabinet Division and to report on efforts to enhance the work-from-home system.

The meeting concluded with a directive that all federal entities provide daily and weekly updates to the committee on their actions regarding austerity, energy conservation, and workforce management.