On the instructions of the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Assembly Secretariat has decided to reduce its expenses by 50 percent. The decision has been taken under the austerity campaign by reducing large-scale expenses and other items including stationery of the National Assembly Secretariat. A circular has been issued regarding austerity measures by the National Assembly Secretariat. According to the text of the circular, the National Assembly Secretariat has decided to reduce its expenditure in view of the financial challenges facing the country. Text of the circular says strict austerity measures have been taken to ensure saving of public money. The aim of these measures is to reduce unnecessary expenditure in the national interest. Secretariat instructs all officers and departments to strictly follow austerity measures and careful use of stationery items and other items will have to be ensured. Stationery and other items will be requisitioned only once in a month with the permission of the concerned officer of grade 20 or above.

The Joint Secretary (Admin) and Deputy Secretary (Admin) have been empowered to deduct 50 percent of the demand for unnecessary stationery. Double-sided use of paper should be ensured in all cases and to reduce the use of stationery and the use of both sides of paper and note sheets will be necessary. Assembly Secretariat required to re-use unused circulars and spare copies of these circulars, containing blanks, should be used for preparing draft circulars while use of offset paper and note sheet shall be prohibited for writing drafts. It has also been instructed to ensure careful use of office telephones and officers who have no limit on their office telephone should minimize their telephone usage reducing unnecessary telephone bills and officers who have fixed telephone usage limits to bring down their office telephone bills.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan