Punjab Assembly Announces Major Austerity Measures to Cut Costs

The Punjab Assembly Secretariat has rolled out a comprehensive set of austerity initiatives as part of the government’s broader drive to curtail public expenditure, according to an official notification.

Under these directives, the Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, has voluntarily given up his salary along with official privileges, including the use of government-funded fuel. In addition, the salaries and allowances of Members of the Provincial Assembly will be reduced by 25% for a two-month period.

The cost-saving framework also places limitations on government vehicle usage. Seventy percent of official vehicles will remain unused, while only thirty percent will be deployed strictly for official assignments. Furthermore, protocol vehicle squads have been completely discontinued.

Assembly sittings and meetings of standing committees will now be arranged before sunset. Where required, committee deliberations may be conducted virtually, and the overall number of such meetings will be minimized.

The Secretariat will remain closed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, except on days when Assembly sessions are scheduled, during which routine administrative work will proceed as necessary.

For the month of Ramazan, office timings will be observed from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, while the regular working hours after Ramazan will run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The notification also instructs all departments to reduce electricity consumption by 70%, including turning off unnecessary lighting and electrical equipment.

In addition, the Secretariat has decided to transition toward paperless administrative processes. All new procurement activities have been suspended, with only essential purchases permitted to support day-to-day operational requirements.

A prohibition on the acquisition of new government vehicles will remain effective until June 2026. Official dinners and Iftar gatherings have also been disallowed, except in cases involving visiting foreign delegations.

Moreover, the Secretariat has directed that 80% of its workforce will operate remotely, with employees required to report to the office within one hour if needed. Personnel working from home will not be entitled to honoraria or session-based allowances.