ISLAMABAD(National Times)- The federal government has decided that funds saved through ongoing austerity measures will be used for providing relief to public. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the impact of regional developments on petroleum prices and assess the implementation of government austerity measures amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. During the meeting, officials discussed steps to stabilize petroleum product prices and the progress of government savings initiatives. The government approved salary reductions ranging from 5 to 30 percent for employees of state-owned and autonomous institutions, similar to cuts already applied to federal staff, with the savings earmarked for public relief. Board members representing the government in corporations and other institutions will no longer receive participation fees, which will also contribute to these savings. Prime Minister Sharif instructed all Pakistani embassies worldwide to observe March 23 celebrations with utmost simplicity. Law enforcement agencies and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will continue operations as usual, without adjustments to their weekly schedules. The meeting also addressed government vehicle usage, approving a 50 percent reduction in fuel allocation and grounding 60 percent of the fleet for the next two months, subject to third-party audit. Additionally, all new government vehicle purchases and other non-essential acquisitions are suspended. Salaries of cabinet members, ministers, advisers, and special assistants will be redirected for public welfare, with a total ban on foreign travel. Online meetings and teleconferences will be prioritized to further reduce costs. The prime minister emphasized that relevant secretaries are responsible for monitoring the implementation of these austerity measures and reporting daily to the review committee. Federal ministers Attaullah Tarar, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kiani, the FBR chairman, and other senior officials attended the meeting.