Pakistan abolishes five-day work week in government offices

PAKISTAN'S new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has abolished five-day work week in government offices as he attempted to revive the cash-strapped country's economy.

Sharif also changed office hours to 8 am instead of 10:00 am. He announced that only Sunday will be the weekly-off day in government offices.

“We have come to serve the masses and no moment will be wasted,” he said while interacting with his staff on Tuesday (12), his second day in office.

“Honesty, transparency, diligence and hard work are our guiding principles,” he was quoted as saying by the state-run Radio Pakistan.

He ordered immediate implementation of the announcements on the increase in pension and the minimum wage of PKR 25,000 (£10.52).

Sharif also called an emergency meeting of experts to deliberate on the serious economic situation faced by the country.

Sharif, who became Pakistan's new prime minister after the unceremonious ouster of Imran Khan, is a hard-core realist and over the years has earned the reputation of a matter-of-fact person as well as a good administrator.

The 70-year-old younger brother of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif has served as the chief minister of the most populous and politically crucial Punjab province thrice.

(PTI)