Government calls announcement of ‘complete weekend lockdown’ in the country false amid fuel crisis

The Ministry of Information on Sunday dismissed as false a widespread announcement claiming a complete lockdown across the country over the weekend.

In a post on its official fact-checking account on X, the ministry shared the viral notification stamped with the word “fake” to counter misinformation being spread on social media.

“Avoid sharing fake news and fake posts. Be a responsible citizen and trust only verified sources,” the ministry said.

The undated document falsely attributed directives to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and claimed the measures were imposed in view of a “continued oil crisis in the Gulf”.

According to the fabricated report, the authorities had ordered a “complete and extensive nationwide shutdown” every Saturday and Sunday from April 5.

“The lockdown will come into effect every Saturday from 12:01 am and continue until 11:59 pm every Sunday,” the fake order read.

Read more: Government to absorb Rs 49/litre oil price hike

To curb energy consumption and manage the deepening fuel crisis, the federal government considered finalizing a comprehensive plan to impose a nationwide “smart lockdown” along with extended austerity measures. However, no official announcement was made and no announcement was made.

Under the proposed plan, markets and malls will close at 9:30 p.m., while wedding halls will be limited to a maximum of 200 guests with a one-course policy and a closing time of 10 p.m. The restrictions were intended to curb large gatherings and reduce energy consumption at night.

To further reduce commuting and operational costs, a 50% rota system was expected to be introduced along with digital monitoring of attendance and weekly audit mechanisms to ensure compliance. Similar measures were being considered for private offices, where up to 50% teleworking could be mandated.

Energy conservation remained a central pillar of the plan. Measures under review include a ban on the use of air conditioning before 10.30am in government offices and a target to move at least 50% of public buildings to solar energy within 60 days.

Read also: The government is considering smart lockdown

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz had announced sweeping austerity measures in the face of the fuel crisis caused by the Middle East crisis following attacks by the US and Israel on Iran.

The measures included a four-day working week, a work-from-home policy and a 50% reduction in fuel allocated to public vehicles. Members of the cabinet, including ministers, advisers and special assistants, were to go without pay for two months, while MPs’ pay was cut by 25%. Expenditure in all government agencies, except for salaries, was also reduced by 20%.