Govt Bans Buying Vehicles and Jobs Creation Under New Austerity Measures

The Finance Division has notified austerity measures, including a ban on the purchase of all types of vehicles, procurement of machinery/equipment, and the creation of new posts, to control the expenditures of the federal government.

The notification issued by the Division stated that, in pursuance of the Cabinet’s decision for case No. 232/28/2024 dated 27.8.2024, the following austerity measures are notified until further orders:

There shall be a complete ban on the following expenditures concerning the current budget:

1. Purchase of all types of vehicles, except operational vehicles such as ambulances and other medically equipped vehicles, firefighting vehicles, buses and vans for educational institutions, solid waste vehicles, and motorbikes;
2. Procurement of machinery/equipment, except those required for hospitals, laboratories, agriculture, mining, and schools;
3. Creation of new posts, including contingent paid/temporary posts;
4. Continuation of contingent paid/temporary posts beyond one year;
5. Treatment abroad at government expense; and
6. All non-obligatory visits abroad where Government of Pakistan funding is involved.

The austerity measures notified by the Cabinet Division vide O.M. Nos. 7-1/2023-Min-I and No. 9-148/2002-Min-II dated 28.2.2023 will remain applicable unless modified or withdrawn by the Federal Cabinet. All posts lying vacant for the last three years shall be abolished. The purchase of durables and the creation of posts under PSDP-funded projects shall be exempted from the application of this ban.

All Ministries/Divisions are requested to disseminate the above instructions to all departments under their administrative control for strict compliance, added the notification.