There is no consensus on smart blocking for energy conservation; Punjab suspends purchase of 100 government vehicles
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Photo: Archive
According to sources, the Punjab government has decided not to impose smart lockdown in the province, following the recommendations submitted to the chief minister.
Punjab government sources said Express PAkGazette that the decision came after a consensus could not be reached on the implementation of smart blocking for energy conservation. Instead, the government has chosen to adopt alternative measures.
Discussions are underway to convene the next meeting of the austerity monitoring committee next week. The meeting will review the extension of previous decisions and present a report on the results of the first session of the committee.
Read: Punjab schools move to four-day week
In line with the 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 nor payments made for the acquisition of vehicles.
Officials also expressed concern that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could disrupt several development projects. Two purchases of armored vehicles have been suspended, while departments are expected to continue using existing vehicles for the time being. Any future vehicle acquisitions will be limited to hybrid or electric models, the sources said.
Acting in the same spirit, the Punjab School Education Department announced on Wednesday that all public and private schools in the province will now function only four days a week and will remain closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled several austerity and energy conservation measures to prevent fuel shortages and declared that he would not raise prices of petroleum products further following a massive hike of Rs 55 per liter, seeking to appease a nervous public while shouldering the cost of rising prices.
In line with the federal government’s directives, provinces also announced several austerity measures, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordering suspension of fuel supply provided by the government to provincial ministers until the oil supply situation stabilized.
Punjab also expanded remote working in government offices, allowing only essential staff to report to workplaces while others performed their duties from home. In addition, authorities reduced official outdoor events and postponed several public gatherings.
