Pakistan faces ‘Blackout-like’ crisis, March 23 Republic Day Events cancelled amid Gulf oil crisis

The escalating tensions in the Middle East have caused a major internal crisis in Pakistan.

Pakistan has cancelled the military parade and related ceremonies scheduled for March 23 on the occasion of its National Day. It is worth noting that the office of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the decision was taken in response to the Gulf oil crisis and the government’s cost-cutting measures.

Why has Pakistan cancelled its March 23 Republic Day celebrations?

Pakistan’s Republic Day will be observed on March 23. This decision was made amid disruptions to oil supplies in the region due to ongoing wars and unrest in the Middle East. Pakistan is experiencing an economic recession; therefore, the Government has made aggressive cuts to public expenditures as a means to help alleviate the economic downturn and a means to assist those businesses and communities that are impacted the most by these energy shortages.

What triggered the ‘blackout-like’ crisis across Pakistan?

“In light of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the austerity measures announced by the government, it has been decided that the Pakistan Day parade scheduled for March 23 and all associated ceremonies will not be held,” the statement read.

What emergency measures has the government imposed amid the crisis?

The statement further read,” All ministries, divisions and departments are directed to observe the occasion with simplicity and dignity, so that despite limited ceremonies, the importance of the day and its true message remain preserved.”

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The cancellation of National Day events in Pakistan is viewed as a historically significant event because it commemorates the Lahore resolution of 1940, which was the formal call for the creation of a separate Muslim nation. This led to the partition of India. Nine years after its independence on 23rd March 1956, Pakistan became an independent Islamic Republic when it adopted its first constitution. Normally, this would involve a large military parade in Islamabad, displaying the nation’s capabilities and national pride.

Where is the impact of the crisis being felt the most in Pakistan?

The escalating tensions in the Middle East have caused a major internal crisis in Pakistan. The reportedly closed Strait of Hormuz—an essential global oil transhipment point—has quickly worsened the already fragile energy situation within Pakistan, leading the authorities to employ emergency measures to stop further damage to the country’s energy supply.

In response to the deteriorating energy conditions, the government has imposed restrictions similar in scope to those that were imposed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the work-from-home initiatives implemented during COVID-19 have again been introduced; schools and colleges are closed across the entire country; government vehicles are restricted to travel within their own jurisdictions; senior government officials and politicians are prohibited from travelling abroad.

In addition to these stringent austerity measures, the government has instituted pay cuts for the highest-ranking politicians and government officials as an indication of the severity of the economic crisis. On the other hand, Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday announced a “temporary pause” in fighting in view of Eid-ul-Fitr and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, a day after the Afghan government accused Islamabad of killing 400 people in an attack on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul.

The sharp increase in fuel prices in Pakistan are turning painful during Ramadan, when household budgets are already under strain because the rise in the prices of basic necessities disproportionately affects middle-class families, according to a new report.

The sharp Rs 55 per litre increase in fuel prices is sending ripple effects across the country, raising transportation costs, driving up food prices and putting additional burden on households during the holy month, said the Dawn report.

“The timing of the increase has, therefore, intensified public anger. Ramadan is traditionally a period when governments are expected to provide relief through targeted support for essential goods. Instead, households are confronting a cost shock that is quickly eroding purchasing power just as families begin planning for Eid expenses,” the report lamented.

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The Times Of Bengal