Pakistan puts national day celebrations on hold amid escalating US, Israel, and Iran conflict

The Pakistani government announced on Tuesday that it will not be organizing the annual national day parade and associated ceremonial events, citing "austerity measures" related to the Gulf crisis as the reason.

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This decision comes as Pakistan Day, which is observed on March 23, a public holiday, is typically marked with grand parades, military flypasts, and cultural events across the country.

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A government statement revealed that the austerity measures, prompted by the ongoing Gulf oil crisis, have led to the cancellation of the Pakistan Day Parade and related events, which were initially scheduled to take place next Monday.

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According to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office, the day will instead be commemorated with a simple flag hoisting ceremony, allowing the nation to mark the occasion with "dignity and reverence".

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The decision to scale back celebrations is part of a broader effort to reduce expenses, as announced by Sharif last week, which includes implementing a four-day workweek for government employees, introducing work-from-home rules, and closing schools to conserve fuel.

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Pakistan's heavy reliance on oil and gas from the Gulf has made it vulnerable to the regional crisis, prompting the government to provide naval escorts for fuel-carrying vessels last week to ensure uninterrupted supplies.

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The surge in oil prices has resulted in higher fuel costs for Pakistani consumers, while the crisis has also led to the return of approximately 4,000 individuals, including students, from neighboring Iran.

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A meeting convened by the finance minister on Monday assessed the country's overall stock levels and scheduled imports, concluding that Pakistan has "comfortable inventories of crude oil and key petroleum products for March, with sufficient planning in place to ensure continued availability during April".