AMN
In Pakistan, the Central Bank has asked its employees to work from home two days a week as the country looks to conserve fuel and ensure that it does not run out of dollars. In a Twitter message yesterday, State Bank of Pakistan told its staff to opt for virtual meetings, car pooling and cutting down on air conditioning. The Bank further said that it has also suspended the purchase of fixtures and furniture.
Local media reports that Pakistan’s Government has already ordered shopping malls and factories to shut early in various cities including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi and cut the working week by a day.
Pakistan’s Federal Government has increased pump prices by as much as 83 per cent in less than a month as it tries to curb subsidies. However, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics’ data, in July-May, its total petroleum import bill increased by 99 per cent.