ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday announced that it would not hold the annual Pakistan Day parade and related ceremonial events this year due to austerity measures linked to the ongoing Gulf crisis.
Pakistan Day, observed every year on March 23 as a public holiday, is traditionally marked with military parades, aerial displays, and cultural events across the country. However, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said that “in the backdrop of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the consequent austerity measures announced by the government, it has been decided that the Pakistan Day Parade and associated ceremonial events shall not be held.”
Instead, the day will be observed with “dignity and reverence through a simple flag hoisting ceremony,” the statement added.
The decision comes as part of broader belt-tightening measures introduced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, including reducing the working week for government employees to four days, implementing work-from-home policies, and temporarily shutting schools to conserve fuel.
Pakistan relies heavily on oil and gas imports from Gulf countries, and amid the Middle East crisis, vessels carrying fuel were recently provided naval escorts to ensure uninterrupted supplies.
The surge in global oil prices has led to a sharp increase in domestic fuel costs, while the crisis has also forced around 4,000 people, including students, to return from neighbouring Iran.
Separately, the prime minister chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation of fuel conservation and austerity measures. During the session, he directed the petroleum minister to further strengthen efforts to improve Pakistan’s petroleum import supply chain.
He emphasized that all relevant institutions must remain prepared to take emergency measures until the situation stabilises. Officials briefed the meeting that the prime minister’s directives were being implemented and that petroleum stocks were being closely monitored to detect any irregularities.
A meeting held on Monday under the finance minister reviewed the country’s fuel reserves and noted that current stock levels and scheduled imports indicated Pakistan has “comfortable inventories of crude oil and key petroleum products for March,” with adequate planning in place to ensure availability through April.