Pakistan imposes remote work, closes schools amid energy concerns linked to Mideast conflict

Pakistan has ordered remote work for half of its public sector employees and announced a two-week closure of schools to conserve energy amid disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced austerity measures in a national address, according to local daily Dawn.

Sharif said 50% of public-sector employees, excluding those in essential services, will work remotely, and that government offices will operate four days a week, except for banks.

All schools will close for two weeks starting later this week, while higher education institutions will continue online.

Fuel allowances for official vehicles will be cut by half for two months, while 60% of government vehicles will be taken off the road, he said. The federal cabinet will also forgo salaries during the same period.

Additional measures include cutting parliamentarians' salaries by 25%, reducing government spending, holding meetings online, banning vehicle purchases and limiting nonessential foreign travel.

Meanwhile, India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas ordered oil refineries to increase liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production due to "current geopolitical disruptions to fuel supply and constraints on supply of LPG."

The ministry said domestic LPG supply to households has been prioritized, while imported LPG will be directed to essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.

Separately, the US Embassy in Islamabad issued a security alert for American citizens about planned protests in Pakistan on Tuesday, restricting the movement of US personnel starting at 12.00 pm local time (0700GMT) on March 10.

Regional tensions escalated after Israel and the US launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

Iran also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz around March 1. The strategic waterway normally handles about 20 million barrels of oil shipments daily and roughly 20% of the global liquefied natural gas trade.