The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has tightened fuel-saving steps by ordering full work-from-home on Fridays for the next two months, as supply disruptions linked to the Iran war continue to pressure fuel availability.
A notification issued by the Establishment Department said the chief minister approved 100% remote work in government offices every Friday for two months, or until conditions improve. The order follows earlier measures that had allowed partial work-from-home in provincial departments.
The government has also announced a short spring break for schools. According to the notification, public and private educational institutions, excluding universities and board examinations, will begin the break from March 24. The practical impact is expected to be limited, as Friday through Sunday already fall on routine holidays.
These decisions are part of a broader package titled the Fuel Conservation and Responsible Governance Initiative, approved by the KP cabinet on March 9.
Under the plan, the province reduced official vehicle fuel entitlements by 25% and moved to a four-day school week to cut transport-related fuel consumption. Previously, departments had been told to operate with 50% work-from-home.
On the financial side, the KP government has also rolled out austerity steps for the last quarter of the current fiscal year.
The Finance Department directed a 20% cut in non-employee expenditure for the April–June period, citing fiscal pressures and rising international oil prices. The department also imposed a blanket ban on the purchase of new durable goods by administrative departments until June 30, 2026.
In another fuel-saving move, the government decided to suspend the use of 60% of official vehicles across provincial establishments for the next two months, in addition to the earlier reduction in monthly fuel allocations.
Fuel conservation measures have also been adopted outside the executive branch, with the Peshawar High Court issuing its own directives at the principal seat and in subordinate courts to reduce fuel use.
