Pakistan clamps down on energy use: early market closures, wedding caps amid fuel crunch

In a bid to curb a spiralling energy shortage, Pakistan’s cabinet rolled out a fresh austerity package on September 17. The headline‑grabbers are simple but stark: markets and shopping malls must close their doors by 9 pm, while wedding halls are told to stop serving guests after 10 pm. Restaurants, cafés and other food outlets have to pull the plug by 11 pm – unless they stick to take‑away or home‑delivery services.

It isn’t just the nightlife that’s being trimmed. The government is also chopping fuel supplies for its own fleet. Official vehicles will receive only half the usual allocation for the next three months, and ministries are barred from buying new cars altogether. The cut doesn’t touch the armed forces, police or other essential‑service vehicles, whose administrative and non‑operational fleets remain exempt.

Travel restrictions are part of the same playbook. Ministers, advisers, parliamentarians and other senior officials are forbidden from flying abroad for three months, except for scholarships or training programmes. Diplomats can still represent Pakistan overseas when absolutely necessary, but everyone else is nudged toward teleconferencing instead of jet‑setting.

Even government‑funded seminars, conferences and official dinners are being put on ice – unless a foreign delegation is in the mix. The idea is to trim non‑essential spending by at least 5 % in the upcoming fiscal year, while still allowing purchases of IT equipment, which the state deems critical.

All these moves come against a backdrop of volatile global oil markets. The conflict in West Asia has rattled crude supplies, especially with disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz and threats to Red Sea shipping lanes. Pakistan, a net importer of energy, has felt the pressure. On September 18 the petroleum ministry lowered petrol to PKR 390.79 per litre – a 43‑paise dip – but hiked high‑speed diesel by PKR 3.47, taking it to PKR 424.92 per litre.

To soften the blow for everyday commuters, the government introduced a targeted fuel‑relief scheme. Eligible owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and small cars can receive a subsidy of PKR 100 per litre, though the benefit is capped monthly.

This isn’t Pakistan’s first austerity sprint this year. Back in March, schools were temporarily shut, universities shifted online, and non‑essential official vehicles were grounded. The latest package simply deepens those efforts, reflecting the mounting strain on the country’s energy supplies.

For ordinary citizens, the new rules translate into quieter evenings, shorter shopping trips and simpler wedding feasts – all intended to stretch the dwindling fuel reserves a little farther.