Punjab government decides against smart lockdown, adopts alternative measures

No consensus on smart lockdown for energy conservation; Punjab suspends purchase of 100 government vehicles

The Punjab government has decided not to impose a smart lockdown in the province, according to sources, following recommendations presented to the chief minister.

The sources within the Punjab government told Express Tribune that the decision came after no consensus could be reached on implementing a smart lockdown for energy conservation. Instead, the government has opted to adopt alternative measures.

Discussions are underway to convene the next meeting of the austerity monitoring committee next week. The meeting will review the extension of earlier decisions and present a report on the outcomes of the committee’s first session.

Read: Punjab schools switch to four-day week

In line with the austerity measures adopted amid the global energy crisis, the Punjab government has suspended the purchase of 100 vehicles for various departments. Sources confirmed that no new orders have been issued and no payments have been made for vehicle procurement.

Officials also expressed concerns that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could disrupt several development projects. Two bulletproof vehicle purchases have been halted, while departments are expected to continue using existing vehicles for the time being. Any future vehicle acquisitions will be limited to hybrid or electric models, the sources said.

Acting in the same spirit, the Punjab School Education Department announced on Wednesday that all public and private schools across the province would now operate only four days a week, remaining closed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled several energy conservation and austerity measures to preempt fuel shortages and declared that he would not further increase the prices of petroleum products following a massive hike of Rs55 per litre, seeking to pacify an unnerved public while shouldering the cost of rising prices.

In line with federal government directives, the provinces also announced several austerity measures, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordering the suspension of government-provided fuel for provincial ministers until the petroleum supply situation stabilised.

Punjab also expanded remote work in government offices, allowing only essential staff to report to workplaces while others performed duties from home. In addition, authorities curtailed official outdoor events and postponed several public gatherings.