Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced an extensive
set of austerity measures in response to the global fuel crisis,
including the closure of all educational institutions across the
province from March 10 to March 31. The decision comes as Pakistan’s
fuel reserves have reportedly fallen to approximately 28 days, raising
alarm about a wider energy emergency if the Strait of Hormuz closure
persists.

What Punjab Has Ordered

Official fuel supply for provincial ministers has been suspended
entirely until the petroleum crisis eases. Fuel allowances for
government officers’ vehicles have been cut by 50 percent. Protocol
vehicles accompanying ministers and senior officials have been
restricted to a single security vehicle. Government offices are
shifting to work-from-home where possible, and all outdoor official
events have been suspended. The Horse and Cattle Show 2026, scheduled
to begin March 28, has been postponed. Schools, colleges and
universities may continue online classes during the closure, and all
examinations are to proceed as scheduled.

A Provincial-Level Response to a National Emergency

Balochistan has introduced similar closures, with educational
institutions shut until March 23. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has implemented a
separate work-from-home and virtual-meetings policy. Pakistan’s Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif has additionally announced a national four-day
workweek and a 50 percent fuel allowance cut for federal government
vehicles, as the country faces one of its sharpest economic shocks in
years.