Shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars, grocery outlets, kiryana stores will close at 9pm on all days of week
As many as 8,511 shops and businesses in 1,698 markets were raided by price control magistrates across the province. PHOTO: SHAHBAZ MALIK
The federal government on Wednesday revised business and commercial closing times nationwide, allowing most shops, markets, and restaurants to remain open till later as summer daylight hours lengthen and temperatures rise.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the revised timings with immediate effect, partially relaxing restrictions introduced under fuel conservation and austerity measures announced in April.
Under the revised schedule, shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery outlets, and kiryana stores will close at 9pm on all days of the week, including weekends.
Marriage halls, marquees, and other venues hosting festive events will be permitted to operate until 10pm, while restaurants, cafés, eateries, and food outlets, along with standalone fruit and vegetable shops, may remain open until 11pm. Takeaway and home delivery services will remain exempt from the closing time restrictions.
The notification also exempted pharmacies, medical stores, laboratories, clinics, and hospitals from the prescribed timings. Standalone bakeries, tandoors, milk and dairy shops, fuel and CNG stations, electric vehicle charging facilities, gyms, sports facilities, padel courts, IT companies, and call centres have also been exempted.
Provincial and regional governments have been advised to implement the new timings accordingly. The revised timings replace earlier restrictions imposed under the government’s fuel conservation policy aimed at reducing energy consumption and managing fuel costs.
Read: ICT imposes early closure for markets
The austerity measures were introduced after a sharp escalation in tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States disrupted global energy markets. Following military exchanges and Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, international oil prices surged, driving up Pakistan’s import bill and putting pressure on domestic fuel prices.
In response, the government raised petroleum prices several times, with the steepest increases recorded in April. Officials said the adjustments were necessary to reflect higher international oil prices and ensure fuel supplies remained uninterrupted.
In March, to curb fuel consumption and reduce energy costs, the federal government imposed a series of austerity measures across Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These included earlier closing times for markets and commercial centres, an additional weekly holiday for government offices, cuts to free fuel allocations for ministers, and restrictions on the use of official vehicles.
The restrictions were temporarily eased ahead of Eid but were reinstated from April 1 as the government sought to manage the impact of the ongoing fuel crisis.
