The federal government announced on Tuesday an extension of business closing hours, attributing the decision to longer daylight and increasing temperatures during the summer months. This change was approved during a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Austerity Measures, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Under the revised guidelines, shops, markets, malls, and general retail outlets will now close at 9pm. Meanwhile, restaurants, cafes, and other eateries are permitted to operate until 11pm. Takeaway and delivery services will continue to be exempt from these restrictions. However, marriage halls and event venues must adhere to a 10pm closing time, with no alterations to their existing schedule.
Essential services such as pharmacies, hospitals, fuel stations, and IT and telecom sectors remain unaffected by the new timings. The committee also instructed provincial governments to coordinate closely with federal authorities to ensure the effective enforcement of these updated regulations.
The meeting included the ministers for petroleum, climate change, information, and IT and telecommunications, alongside special assistants to both the prime minister and the deputy prime minister. Secretaries from commerce, cabinet, petroleum, and IT and telecommunications departments, as well as senior provincial officials, were also present.
These changes come after the federal and provincial governments initially imposed restrictions on business hours in April as part of energy conservation efforts. These measures were introduced in response to soaring domestic fuel prices caused by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The restrictions were part of a broader austerity and fuel-saving strategy aimed at curbing energy consumption amid rising fuel costs.
Last month, the government temporarily eased these restrictions ahead of Eid ul Adha, which was observed from May 27 to 29. On May 18, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif authorized a nationwide exemption from business closing times until May 31, allowing commercial centers to operate without the earlier limits. This decision followed similar relaxations announced by various provincial administrations.
In Punjab, authorities extended the relaxed market and commercial center hours until June 1, suspending the mandatory 8pm closure. Sindh’s government also exempted markets, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, and marriage halls from fixed closing times starting May 16 to support economic activity and provide relief to traders and the public. Likewise, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan lifted their restrictions on market timings and business hours, effectively ending the energy-saving measures in those regions.
