Pakistan PM Orders Audit of Fuel Austerity Measures

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Intelligence Bureau to conduct a third-party audit of Pakistan's austerity measures, aimed at conserving fuel and stabilizing the economy amid soaring petroleum prices triggered by the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. The directive, issued through a Cabinet Division notification on Monday, requires the bureau to monitor compliance across government institutions, submit weekly reports to the prime minister and a dedicated oversight committee, and assess the impact of fuel conservation efforts. The measures, first announced on March 10, respond to a global oil crisis that has raised local fuel prices by Rs 55 per liter last Friday.

In a series of high-level meetings chaired by Sharif in Islamabad over the past week, officials reviewed the implementation of the austerity plan and emphasized economic relief as a top priority. The prime minister was briefed that the country maintains adequate stocks of petroleum products and medicines to meet national demand, thanks to timely import decisions. Sharif instructed Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik to strengthen supply chains for petroleum imports and directed distribution companies to...