Pakistan’s prime minister has imposed a ban on the use of red carpets at official events, a move intended as a further small step towards curtailing extravagant spending at government level. The decision, taken by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, comes amidst severe economic challenges faced by the cash-strapped nuclear power of South Asia, local media reported on Saturday. The government issued a notification specifying that red carpet usage would be limited solely to protocol purposes at diplomatic events. Earlier, Sharif and his cabinet voluntarily decided to forego their salaries and perks. …