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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s renewable energy capacity shielded the country from an energy crisis despite regional oil supply disruptions, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Tuesday, as the government moves to accelerate a sweeping clean energy expansion and protect export routes to Gulf markets. According to an official statement released by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, PM Sharif chaired a meeting on long-term power supply planning and the outlook for domestic exports amid current international pressures. He directed officials to formulate a comprehensive national action plan to expand renewable energy sources. He also ordered the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation to arrange vessels to boost export volumes through sea routes. Renewables currently account for 55% of Pakistan&#39;s total electricity generation, with fossil fuels making up the remaining 45%. The government is targeting a 90% renewable share within ten years, with biofuels comprising the remaining 10%. The prime minister ordered work on the Battery Energy Storage System project to be fast-tracked. &quot;Solar energy and other renewable energy sources are the future of the power sector,&quot; he said. On trade, PM Sharif said Pakistani exports to Gulf countries have continued despite recent global tensions. He credited diplomatic efforts for securing uninterrupted access to those markets. Demand for Pakistani agricultural commodities in the Gulf has risen steadily, officials reported during the briefing. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Dr Mosaddeq Masood Malik, Muhammad Aurangzeb and Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and other senior officers.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting regarding long term energy planning and export strategy during current international situation, in Islamabad on 7 April 2026. (PMO)

Economy

Pakistan’s renewable energy now generates 55% of electricity, shielding it from regional oil disruptions. PM Shahbaz Sharif aims for 90% renewables in a decade while securing Gulf export routes.

Pakistan to expand renewable energy to shield economy, exports amid Middle East crisis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced on Monday that it would close bazaars, markets, and shopping malls at 8 p.m. as part of austerity measures amid the escalating Israel-US war on Iran, which has impacted global supplies. According to a statement from the Prime Minister&#39;s Office (PMO), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review petroleum products, energy conservation, and the implementation of austerity measures. As part of this initiative, the government announced the closure of markets and shopping malls in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, the Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu &amp; Kashmir. The statement added that the decision has been made in consultation with provincial governments. &ldquo;In divisional headquarters of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bazaars, markets, and shopping malls will be allowed to remain open until 9 p.m.,&rdquo; it added. The government said that shops selling daily-use items, departmental stores, and all types of malls will also close at 8 p.m. Bakeries, restaurants, tandoors, and other food outlets will be closed by 10 p.m., the statement added. Marriage halls, marquees, and other commercial venues where weddings are held will remain closed after 10 p.m., as per the statement. Wedding events on private property and in homes will also be prohibited after 10 p.m., as per the statement. &nbsp;It added that medical stores and pharmacies will be exempt from these restrictions. The government announced that these decisions will take effect from April 7. It further added that in the cities of Gilgit and Muzaffarabad, intercity public transport will be free for one month, with all expenses borne by the federal government. Sufficient petrol suppliesIn an official statement, the Cabinet Committee to Monitor Petrol Prices met under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb to assess petroleum supply, stock positions, and market conditions. Officials told the meeting that overall supply remains stable. Diesel stocks cover about 25 days, petrol supplies are sufficient to meet current demand, and crude oil stocks stand at around 12 days, supported by incoming cargoes and scheduled imports, according to the Petroleum Division. Import arrangements for the coming weeks are on track through commercial purchases and government-to-government deals, while refineries are operating at optimal levels to maintain output, the division said. The committee noted that a reliable energy supply remains critical for agriculture, fertilizer production, transport, and industry, as well as for maintaining price stability. The committee called for vigilance to prevent hoarding, speculative activity, and disruptions in availability following recent price changes, the ministry stated. It stressed close monitoring of demand patterns, including local variations, and action against unauthorized storage and market irregularities within the regulatory framework. Members also reviewed the gas supply, including the stock positions of SNGPL and SSGC, and discussed the allocation between domestic consumers and the power sector, according to the Petroleum Division. They called for a data-driven approach to manage seasonal demand and increasing reliance on liquefied petroleum gas. The committee emphasized the use of a digital dashboard launched by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to track real-time data on stocks, sales, and supply conditions from depots to retail outlets. The system is intended to improve visibility of inventory and demand fluctuations and enable timely identification of supply gaps, the ministry said. However, data reporting from retail outlets remains below expectations despite a nationwide network of more than 12,000 petrol pumps, according to the Finance Ministry. The committee called for full operationalization of the system. The finance minister directed stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate data sharing to support decision-making. OGRA was instructed to enforce compliance with reporting requirements,&nbsp;accelerate digitization across the supply chain, and coordinate with oil marketing companies. Pakistan State Oil will expand reporting coverage across its retail network, the ministry said. Joint teams from the Petroleum Division, OGRA, the Federal Investigation Agency, and Pakistan State Oil will be deployed to selected PSO petrol pumps in Islamabad to improve data entry, transparency, and operational compliance. The committee said such mechanisms should be institutionalized to strengthen oversight and accountability. Aurangzeb said maintaining market stability requires coordination, monitoring, and enforcement, and stressed the need to ensure uninterrupted fuel availability, improve transparency, and protect consumers. The meeting was attended by senior federal ministers and officials from relevant ministries, divisions, and regulatory authorities.

Steps include early market closures, reduced business hours, and offering free public transport to reduce vehicular traffic and fuel usage amid regional tensions.

Pakistan orders early market closures amid Middle Eastern crisis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that proposals to raise oil prices had been rejected and that government savings would be redirected to citizens. According to an official statement from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, PM Sharif chaired a high-level review meeting Monday on the effects of the Gulf crisis on petroleum supplies, current fuel reserves, and public relief measures. The prime minister said the government has cut its own expenditures, reduced the developmental budget, and immediately suspended 60% of government vehicles.&nbsp; Funds generated through these austerity measures have been allocated for public relief. Relief measures Relief measures will be delivered through the country&#39;s digital systems, the prime minister stated. He said that Pakistan&#39;s economically weaker segments would not be left without support during the current difficulty. According to the statement, further relief for lower- and middle-class citizens is being planned. Coordination with provincial governments is underway to fast-track ownership registration for motorcycle and rickshaw owners. This will enable them to benefit from potential relief programs, the PM was informed during the meeting. Officials told the PM that adequate fuel reserves are available to meet national needs and that procurement arrangements for the future are in place. A levy increase on high-octane fuel used in large luxury vehicles has not affected jet fuel prices, officials said. An audit report from the Intelligence Bureau on the progress of the prime minister&#39;s fuel savings measures and austerity campaign was presented to the meeting. Officials confirmed that&nbsp;implementation of the campaign is being actively enforced. The prime minister stated that despite the global crisis, no disruption in fuel supply has occurred. He said Pakistan is also pursuing diplomatic efforts toward regional peace. A separate briefing covered current medicine stocks, with officials confirming an ample supply is available to meet national needs. Suggestions on future courses of action were also presented to the meeting. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Dr Musadiq Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Syed Mustafa Kamal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervez Malik, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Rana Mubashar Iqbal, and Sardar Awais Khan Leghari. Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kiani, Special Assistants Tariq Fatemi and Talha Barky, National Assembly members Engineer Qamar ul Islam, Riaz Hussain, and Hafiz Muhammad Numan and other senior officials also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting to review implementation of fuel conservation and austerity measures in Islamabad on Monday, March 30, 2026. (PMO)

PM Sharif chairs emergency review as Islamabad draws on austerity savings to shield lower-income citizens from mounting fuel pressures.

Pakistan cuts government spending, rejects oil price hikes amid Gulf oil crisis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government allocated Rs125 billion through budget cuts and savings to absorb rising petroleum prices and shield the public from global economic pressures. An online review meeting was held on Sunday under the prime minister&#39;s chairmanship to discuss the implementation of ongoing measures for fuel conservation and austerity in view of the regional situation, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office Media Wing. Prime Minister Sharif, while declaring public relief the top priority, said that over the past three weeks, the government has absorbed as much of the increase in petroleum product prices as possible to provide relief to the public. Sufficient quantity of petroleum products availableThe prime minister said that due to government decisions, sufficient quantities of petroleum products are available to meet domestic needs.&nbsp;Participants were informed that arrangements for petrol imports for April have been completed. The PM emphasized that, in the current situation, public relief has been the top priority and that, over the past three weeks, the government has provided the maximum possible relief. Unlike in other countries, Pakistan has neither long queues nor fuel supply mismanagement, reflecting the government&rsquo;s effective management. The PM urged the public to support the government&rsquo;s conservation campaign, avoid unnecessary travel, and prioritize teleconferencing at offices and workplaces. Austerity and conservation measuresThe meeting was briefed on the progress of implementing austerity and conservation measures. It was informed that the demand and supply of petroleum products, along with the entire supply chain, are being regularly monitored, and a digital dashboard has been developed for this purpose. He directed provincial governments to provide all necessary facilities for motorcycle and rickshaw owners to register their vehicles in their names to digitalize vehicle data, and&nbsp;enable owners to benefit from future government relief measures. The meeting was briefed on a prepared app for the proposed fuel support program for motorcycle riders and rickshaw drivers. The prime minister instructed the relevant authorities to expedite coordination with the chief secretaries of all four provinces, as well as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, on this matter. The meeting, held via video link, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Attaullah Tarar, Dr Musadik Malik, Ahsan Iqbal, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Owais Khan Leghari, Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, and other senior officials.

Prime Minister Sharif says public relief top priority; review meeting informed arrangements for petrol imports for April have been completed. 

Articles tagged with "Pakistan Fuel Prices"

Pakistan to expand renewable energy to shield economy, exports amid Middle East crisis

Pakistan orders early market closures amid Middle Eastern crisis

Pakistan cuts government spending, rejects oil price hikes amid Gulf oil crisis

Pakistan government allocates Rs125B to curb fuel price hike