The Pakistani government is considering a plan to temporarily close schools and move classes online, according to reports on Monday, because of the rising petrol prices.
Is Pakistan closing schools due to petrol prices?
The proposal comes as petrol prices continue to rise. Higher fuel prices have increased the cost of daily travel for students and teachers.
Under the plan, schools could shift to remote learning for a limited period. Students would attend classes from home until the situation improves.
However, there has been no official notification released in this regard. At the moment, the reports are not confirmed.
Earlier this year, some schools in Pakistan moved classes online after authorities introduced emergency measures to save fuel.
What steps did the government introduce?
The government introduced several steps to reduce fuel use. These included temporarily closing some schools.
Some of the government and private sector employees were allowed to work remotely, and fuel supplies for official vehicles were also reduced.
This was done because global oil prices rose sharply as a result of the growing conflict between the United States (US), Israel and Iran.
The measures were announced after international oil prices increased due to concerns that the conflict could affect oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
The route is a key passage for global energy supplies. Higher oil prices have raised concerns for countries like Pakistan that depend heavily on imported fuel.
Petrol prices in Pakistan
The government recently increased the price of petrol by Rs5.02 per litre. The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) also went up by Rs5.28 per litre.
After the increase, petrol was priced at Rs375.82 per litre, while HSD was sold at Rs403.32 per litre.
The government is currently charging Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol. The tax and duty on diesel stands at Rs100 per litre.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a special relief scheme to help people deal with the rising cost of fuel.
Under the scheme, motorcyclists, rickshaw and chingchi owners, and people with vehicles up to 800cc would receive a Rs100 per litre petrol subsidy.
