Broke Pakistan In Lockdown: Shehbaz Bans Cars, Tells Ministers To Fly Economy And Citizens To Serve One Dish At Weddings, tell me about this news in (https://www.republicworld.com/global-news/broke-pakistan-in-lockdown-shehbaz-sharif-bans-cars-tells-ministers-to-fly-economy-and-citizens-to-serve-one-dish-at-weddings-2026-09-17-137187)

The article reports on an aggressive national austerity package introduced by the Shehbaz Sharif-led government in Pakistan, aimed at conserving fuel, curbing government expenditures, and addressing economic strain amid escalating regional tensions and supply disruptions in the Middle East.

Key Details from the Report

• Vehicle and Fuel Restrictions:

  • A complete ban on purchasing new government vehicles.

  • A 50% cut in official fuel allocations for government vehicles for at least three months (exempting operational vehicles of armed forces, law enforcement, and emergency services).

  • A freeze on purchasing durable goods, excluding essential IT hardware.

• Foreign Travel and Government Spending Limits:

  • A three-month ban on overseas travel for federal government employees and officials.

  • When foreign travel is deemed strictly unavoidable, ministers, advisers, and senior officials are mandated to fly economy class.

  • A 5% monthly cut in non-employee operational spending across departments and foreign missions.

  • A ban on state-funded dinners, seminars, and external conference venues, mandating the use of teleconferences or internal government auditoriums.

• Commercial Curfews and Energy Conservation:

  • Shops, markets, shopping malls, and grocery stores must shut by 9:00 PM.

  • Wedding halls and marquees must close by 10:00 PM.

  • Restaurants and cafes must close dining rooms by 11:00 PM (takeaways and home deliveries remain permitted).

  • Essential facilitiessuch as hospitals, pharmacies, fuel/EV stations, and call centresare exempt from curfew hours.

• Wedding Regulations:

  • Citizens are restricted to serving a single dish at all wedding-related functions to cut food waste and curb lavish expenditures.

The article frames these steps as a sign of deep economic vulnerability and treasury shortages within Pakistan, contrasting these domestic crisis measures with Islamabad’s recent diplomatic and defense posturing in the Middle East.