Sindh schools to close from March 16-31, Friday to be WFH for govt offices as part of austerity measures

The Sindh government on Tuesday announced its own set of austerity measures to curtail the economic impact of the ongoing regional tensions, stating that schools will observe a spring vacation and government offices will work from home on Fridays.

Addressing a press conference, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said schools across the province will have a “spring vacation from March 16 to 31, while colleges and universities will switch to online classes”.

However, he noted, no ongoing exams will be postponed.

The minister also clarified that, contrary to some media reports, government functioning will not stop on Fridays. Instead, government officials will work from home.

“Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — you have to work. On Friday, you have to work from home,” he said.

The Sindh minister affirmed that the province endorsed all the decisions announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday.

“The Sindh government has launched its austerity campaign,” he added.

He declared that the provincial government would reduce the fuel allotted for official vehicles by 50 per cent, which would save around Rs960 million.

The provincial ministers have also decided to forgo their salaries for three months from April to June, Memon added.

He further said that the government will send a reference to the Sindh Assembly speaker, but it was up to the speaker and the lawmakers to decide on any similar measure for MPAs.

Memon said that “unnecessary government expenditure”, such as buying furniture and stationery, will be reduced by 20pc, which he said would save around Rs12 billion.

The senior minister stated there would be a complete ban on the government buying “new vehicles and items”, except where necessary, such as ambulances or law and order vehicles.

“Unnecessary foreign visits” would also be barred, Memon said, highlighting that if an official trip was required, Economy Class will be used and “no one will be allowed to use Business Class”.

Detailing further steps, Memon said “many ministers, including the chief minister, said they wanted to withdraw or curtail their security” so that police vehicles could instead be utilised for the public and extra expenses could be avoided.

He added that the cabinet had “mandated the law minister” to immediately withdraw the security protocol allotted to “many such people who were utilising the Sindh government’s and Sindh Police’s security unnecessarily”.

Memon noted these specifically included former caretaker ministers and “committee members”, remarking that people had “unfortunately made it a status symbol”.

“Security is not being withdrawn from those who have genuine cases,” the senior minister affirmed.

He emphasised, “The cabinet has taken strict action, ordering that all kinds of unnecessary expenditures be halted immediately.”

Memon said no Iftar parties would be held on the government’s expenditure and any official event would not be organised at any five-star hotel but at a government building.

“Chief minister sahib and we have decided together that from now on, no minister will attend any Iftari […] Charity begins from home,” he said.

He further announced that refreshments on government expenses will be prohibited in all government offices for two more months after Ramazan.

The minister also expressed his government’s solidarity with the armed forces, noting the Operation Ghazab lil-Haq underway on the Pak-Afghan border against terrorists.

“When we speak about challenges, it is not your or mine, it is our challenge,” he remarked.

Responding to a journalist’s question, Memon said the CM’s plane “will remain grounded during these days”, also clarifying that the aircraft had been purchased by the previous chief minister.

The minister stressed that the money saved by implementing the austerity measures will be utilised for the “public’s welfare”. He added that the government’s priority was not to let the “aftereffects” of the fuel price hikes impact the public.

The Sindh government’s move follows the Centre’s announcement of austerity measures to conserve fuel in view of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.

The federal government announced a 50pc cut in fuel allowance for official vehicles, with the exemption of operational vehicles such as ambulances and public buses, for the next two months.

Among several other measures, the federal cabinet members also decided to forgo their salaries and allowances for the next two months.