In response, Pakistan has announced a set of emergency steps to conserve fuel.
Officials say the measures will take effect tomorrow in Punjab and then expand to other provinces. Under the plan, cabinet members will not be provided fuel for their official vehicles until the situation improves.
Military departments will also scale back, with fuel supplied to only half of their vehicles, while the rest will remain off the roads. For security reasons, each official convoy will be limited to just one escort vehicle.
The government says most public sector employees will work from home, with internet access arranged to support them. In addition, schools, colleges, and universities will stay closed through March 31.
All government meetings will move online, and artistic events, political rallies, and similar gatherings are postponed until further notice.
Officials have set up a special committee to oversee the rollout.