ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is visiting Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, on Thursday.
Prime Minister office said in a statement on Thursday that the visit is aimed to “participate in the ground-breaking (link-up) ceremonies of Turkmenistan- Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, lines of electricity transmission and fiber optics.”
The statement added that the ground-breaking ceremonies will be jointly attended by PM Abbasi, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Malikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov, President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani and Minister of State for External Affairs of India, M.J Akbar.
The first leg of the ceremony will be held in Serhetabat, Turkmenistan.
During his stay, the Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with the Turkmen President and also attend an Arts & Culture exhibition showcasing cultural performances and artistic pieces from the four member countries, including Pakistan, followed by the link-up ceremony where he will make a statement, along with leaders of other member states.
“The Prime Minister will then proceed to Herat, Afghanistan on the same day to attend the Afghan leg of the groundbreaking ceremony,” Statement read.
Pakistani Prime Minister will also hold a bilateral meeting with the Afghan President after the groundbreaking.
Four-nation TAPI gas line project is seen as vital plan to help the Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India to meet their energy needs.
PM Abbasi visits Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to attend TAPI groundbreaking ceremony
PM Abbasi visits Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to attend TAPI groundbreaking ceremony
Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
- Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50 percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60 percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.
The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.
“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan.
Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.
Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.
