A proposal to ban single-occupancy car use during office hours and introduce petrol quotas for households owning multiple vehicles has been put forward as a practical measure to tackle Pakistan’s looming energy crisis and reduce the country’s growing financial burden.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Saylani Welfare International Trust Chairman and founder Maulana Muhammad Bashir Farooq Qadri proposed banning motorists from travelling alone in cars during office hours as part of a broader strategy to conserve fuel and manage Pakistan’s anticipated energy crisis.
Qadri suggested that the government consider restricting single-occupancy car use during peak office hours and introduce a petrol quota system for households owning multiple vehicles.
He urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review these proposals in consultation with federal ministers and economic experts to help prevent Pakistan from falling deeper into debt.
He welcomed the government’s decision not to further increase petroleum product prices, saying that it is a positive step, given the economic strain already being faced by the public. He noted that the recent increase of around Rs55 a litre has already placed a heavy burden on ordinary residents.
He said that the impact of expensive petrol is particularly severe for low-income individuals who rely on motorbikes as a means of livelihood, often using them as informal taxis while supporting families. According to him, such riders should ideally receive petrol at a lower price so they can sustain their household expenses.
He added that reports suggesting petrol prices can rise to as high as Rs500 a litre has caused widespread concern, warning that such a situation would become unbearable for the poor.
To address the issue, he recommended that the government set petrol consumption quotas for affluent segments of society, including senior officials, business leaders and industrialists, especially the households owning several vehicles. He suggested that a quota system can be implemented using existing data available with the relevant government departments.
Highlighting international practices, he said that in several countries a car-pooling system is enforced, under which travelling alone in a car is discouraged or restricted. In many places, particularly during office hours, at least three people are required to travel in one vehicle, he added.
He also said that such a policy has been implemented in parts of Europe and should not be considered unrealistic, describing it as a practical and workable formula to reduce fuel consumption. He warned that persistently high petrol prices can raise taxation pressures on industries through the Federal Board of Revenue, potentially leading to factory closures and a decline in exports.
