Pakistan, Bangladesh Face Severe Fuel And Economic Crisis

The fallout of the West Asia conflict is now hitting ordinary lives far beyond the battlefield, with Pakistan and Bangladesh facing a deepening energy crisis. After Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli strikes, global fuel supplies tightened sharply. In Pakistan, petrol and diesel prices have jumped nearly 20 percent overnight, forcing the government to impose sweeping austerity measures. Schools have been shut for two weeks, fuel allowances cut and government offices moved to a four-day work week. Bangladesh is also struggling, with fuel shortages triggering panic buying and factory shutdowns. With both nations heavily dependent on imported energy, the crisis now threatens power supply, industry and food production.