KARACHI: The Sindh government is contemplating a smart lockdown as a fuel conservation measure following the global oil crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran, said Local Government Minister Nasir Shah on Tuesday.
Amid the federal government’s austerity drive, the Sindh government had earlier this month announced that schools across the province would go on spring vacation from March 16 to 31, colleges and universities would switch to online classes and government offices would work from home on Fridays.
It also limited the number of guests at wedding ceremonies or any other party to 200 with one-dish serving.
However, the government has been facing the brunt of the Iran war, which has entered its fourth week, as it is considering various options on the pattern of what it had taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Minister Nasir Shah urges citizens to limit their movement to save fuel
“The Sindh government is considering smart lockdown to tackle energy crisis,” Mr Shah told reporters after visiting a water filtration plant in Rohri.
“If the war prolongs, energy issues will escalate, so we need to conserve fuel and take measures to avoid crises,” he said.
He said the chief minister, who heads the committee on austerity measures, had conducted multiple in-person and online meetings on a daily basis.
He called on the citizens to limit their movement, saying, “We have to save petrol, oil and gas.”
He also called on the media to raise awareness, saying that if the war on Iran continued for a prolonged period, it would have “terrifying” effects on everyone, including Pakistan.
He said that the energy sector would be the first “to be hit”, saying that the prices of commodities were directly linked to fuel prices.
He said that it would be better in the long run if citizens reduced the unnecessary use of such commodities.
The minister said the provincial government had reduced the fuel consumption allowance for official vehicles by “60 per cent”.
However, sources said the matter of whether to impose a smart lockdown was likely to be taken up in the upcoming meeting of the Sindh cabinet.
While it’s unclear what restrictions are likely to be introduced under the smart lockdown, if imposed, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the authorities had not only restricted the movement of residents in areas under smart lockdowns but also suspended the operations of public and private transport services.
At that time, the government allowed only grocery shops and pharmacies to remain open, while all industrial units in the areas remained closed. Residents were also not allowed to hold private gatherings inside their homes.
Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2026