‘Pakistan closing schools because of a war it’s not in’: Shehbaz Sharif’s fuel crisis announcement goes viral
indianexpress.com‘Pakistan closing schools because of a war it’s not in’: Shehbaz Sharif’s fuel crisis announcement goes viral
The developments follow a growing fuel crunch linked to the ongoing crisis around the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan’s emergency fuel-saving announcement went viral online after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif outlined a series of austerity measures in a televised address Monday, as tensions in West Asia threaten global energy supplies.
In the address, Sharif said the government was introducing the steps to conserve fuel and prepare for possible supply disruptions, amid concerns that the ongoing regional conflict could affect oil shipments to the country.
As part of the plan, all schools across Pakistan will remain closed for two weeks starting March 16. Universities and other higher education institutions, meanwhile, have been instructed to immediately shift to online classes.
The government is also cutting fuel allowances for public departments. “In the next 2 months, government departments will get a 50 per cent cut in fuel allowances,” Sharif said.
To further limit fuel use, half of …