PM Shehbaz Sharif Says Austerity Savings Will Fund Public Relief
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that financial savings generated through the government’s austerity and cost-cutting measures will be used exclusively to provide relief to the public.
The statement came during a meeting chaired by the prime minister in Islamabad to review the implementation and impact of the government’s austerity initiatives, as well as their implications for petroleum product prices.
Salary Cuts and Cost Controls Announced Under Savings Plan
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister Ata Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, the chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and other senior officials.
According to an official statement issued after the meeting, participants reviewed policy measures aimed at maintaining stability in petroleum product prices and discussed progress in implementing the government’s cost-saving initiatives.
Officials briefed the meeting that funds generated through these austerity measures will be utilized to provide relief to citizens under the prevailing economic conditions. The briefing emphasized that all savings achieved through government spending reductions and austerity policies will be directed toward public relief initiatives.
Government Savings to Be Redirected Toward Public Relief
During the meeting, several decisions were taken as part of the broader cost-saving plan. It was decided that employees working in government institutions and government-sponsored autonomous organizations will face salary reductions ranging from 5 percent to 30 percent.
The reductions will be applied gradually, and the amount saved through these deductions will be allocated to public relief efforts, according to the briefing presented at the meeting.
The meeting also decided that government representatives serving on the boards of corporations and other public institutions will no longer receive participation fees for attending board meetings. The fees previously paid for attending such meetings will instead be included in the government’s overall savings pool.
According to the official statement, the decision to introduce a four-day workweek in certain government institutions will not apply to law enforcement agencies or the Federal Board of Revenue. Employees in these institutions will continue to perform their duties according to existing operational procedures.
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The meeting also discussed broader efforts to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of austerity directives across government departments and public sector organizations.
Overseas Trips Ban and Embassy Events Ordered Simple
In addition, the prime minister directed all Pakistani embassies abroad to observe Pakistan Day celebrations on March 23 in a simple and modest manner as part of the broader austerity policy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also reiterated that a complete ban will remain in place on foreign visits by government officials, including federal ministers, ministers of state, and special assistants to the prime minister.
The prime minister instructed that the responsibility for ensuring the implementation and monitoring of austerity measures will rest with the relevant federal secretaries. They will oversee the enforcement of these directives within their respective ministries and departments.
According to the official statement, secretaries have been directed to present reports to the review committee on a daily basis regarding progress on the implementation of austerity measures and compliance with the government’s directives.
The meeting concluded with an emphasis on strict monitoring of public expenditure and continued evaluation of policies aimed at maintaining economic stability while channeling government savings toward initiatives intended to provide relief to citizens.
