Food at a wedding ceremony is not more than ’one pada’

Pakistan has been facing a severe fuel crisis due to soaring global oil prices. To deal with the situation, the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has imposed strict rules similar to the lockdown imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To reduce government spending, a ban has been imposed on the purchase of new cars, and strict instructions have been issued to only have 'one dish' or one dish on the wedding menu.

Pakistan's cabinet formally announced the new restrictions on Thursday (September 17). Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that rising oil prices around the world have also increased the cost of goods. Therefore, the government and the elite must first make sacrifices rather than putting additional pressure on the common people of the country.

Under the new rules, the fuel consumption quota for all government vehicles has been reduced by half, or 50 percent, but military, police and emergency service vehicles will remain exempt. At the same time, the purchase of any new vehicles at government expense has been completely banned.

Several rules have also been imposed on entertainment and commercial activities. From now on, all shops, markets and shopping malls will have to close by 9 pm. Wedding halls or other social events have been strictly ordered to close by 10 pm and restaurants and cafes by 11 pm. 

To prevent waste, no more than one course of food can be served to wedding guests. However, essential sectors such as pharmacies, hospitals, petrol pumps and IT services will be exempted from the restrictions during this time.

In addition, foreign travel by government officials will be completely banned for the next three months. Even if they go abroad for very urgent reasons, they will have to travel in economy class by plane. It has also been ordered that all meetings of government departments be held online to save on fuel costs.

Pakistan has been facing a deep energy crisis since the outbreak of war in West Asia in February. The country imports most of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which is being severely disrupted by the ongoing war. As a result, the government has been forced to take such a tough stance as petrol and diesel prices have reached record levels in the country. Earlier, the Pakistani government had closed schools in March and canceled the National Day parade to deal with the crisis.

Source: Firstpost.