{
  "id": 7566199,
  "title": "Tariq Fazal Chaudhry rejects reports of smart lockdown amid rising fuel prices",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/tariq-fazal-chaudhry-rejects-reports-of-smart-lockdown-amid-rising",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T08:03:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Express Tribune - Pakistan",
    "slug": "the-express-tribune-pakistan",
    "url": "https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629446/tariq-fazal-chaudhry-rejects-reports-of-smart-lockdown-amid-rising-fuel-prices"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Tuesday, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, dismissed rumors of the government contemplating a \"smart lockdown\" due to escalating fuel prices caused by Middle Eastern tensions. He clarified that such a discussion had not taken place during a meeting chaired by the deputy prime minister, which instead focused on petroleum products. The minister's comments followed reports suggesting the government might implement a lockdown to manage the deteriorating petroleum situation. The recent attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and the subsequent shutdown of the East-West oil pipeline added to global fuel supply concerns. In response, the government announced targeted subsidies for three-wheelers and vehicles up to 800cc for three months and assigned responsibilities to public representatives to guide citizens about the scheme. Regarding political protests, Chaudhry criticized Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for often leading to violence and disruption, stating that public places should not be occupied by leaders of any political party. He assured that Islamabad would not be shut down and that authorities would ensure citizens' smooth movement. The minister also addressed PTI's demands, questioning the effectiveness of their protests in changing the system. He emphasized that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had repeatedly invited opposition parties for dialogue. Chaudhry referred to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's visit to Lahore, criticizing the conduct of political leaders as disrespectful to public offices.",
  "summary": "Says smart lockdown was neither discussed in meeting chaired by deputy prime minister nor is it within my knowledge",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}