Islamabad, Pakistan (CU)_ According to the information minister, in an attempt to reduce the energy and fuel usage in the country, the formal work week in Pakistan will be reduced from six days to five days as part of a new energy saving plan authorized by the country’s cabinet in a latest meeting. The decision comes on the heels of long hours of power disruptions in the South Asia nation with demand exceeding generation during the peak summer months. Besides the increasing external pressures, soaring global gasoline costs have driven the local currency to historic lows against the dollar.
After assuming office in April, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended the working days from five days to six days with only Sunday off, citing a desire to enhance productivity. However, the increased work week caused government offices and employees to consume more power and gasoline. According to Aurangzeb, as part of the new conservation strategy, ministers and government officials would receive a 40 percent drop in their official gasoline allowance.
The cabinet has also established a committee to develop a strategy for all government and semi-government offices to work from home on Fridays as well as for the early closing of commercial marketplaces. Pakistan has endured several hours of power outages in the previous month, with metropolitan centers facing four to six hours of power cut every day and rural areas exceeding eight hours, in the midst of soaring temperatures across the nation that reached 50 degrees Celsius in certain regions.
According to Aurangzeb, the current disparity between supply and demand is 4,600 megawatts, with supply at 21,000 megawatts and demand at 25,600 megawatts. The Sharif administration accused Imran Khan’s previous administration for the mishandling of the power industry. However, Khan and his staff have denied all the accusations. Owing to the skyrocketing energy prices, Pakistan faces a balance of payment crisis as its foreign exchange reserves drop below $10 billion, adequate for around 45 days of imports, and as its inflation rate approaches double digits.
