- Restaurants and eateries allowed to stay open until 11 p.m.
- Wedding halls will continue to close at 10 p.m. according to current rules.
- Takeaway and delivery services remain exempt from restrictions.
The federal government on Wednesday notified new deadlines for restrictions imposed under fuel-saving measures and additional austerity measures for businesses, asking provincial governments to implement the same.
According to an official notice issued on Wednesday, shops, markets, malls and retail outlets will now close at 9 p.m., while restaurants, cafes and eateries will be allowed to operate until 11 p.m.
The decision was taken on Tuesday during a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Austerity Measures, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar.
Under the revised schedule, takeaway and delivery services will remain exempt from the restrictions. Wedding halls and event venues will, however, continue to close at 10 p.m., with no change to their current opening hours.
Essential services such as pharmacies, hospitals, gas stations and IT and telecommunications services will also remain exempt from the updated closing hours regulations.
The committee further asked provincial governments to ensure effective implementation of the guidelines in coordination with federal authorities.
Meanwhile, uncertainty persists as provincial governments have yet to notify revised business closure dates in their respective jurisdictions, despite the announcement of new restrictions by the federal government.
It is worth noting here that the federal and provincial governments imposed restrictions on business opening hours across the country in April as part of energy-saving measures introduced in response to a sharp rise in domestic fuel prices triggered by tensions in the Middle East.
The restrictions were part of the federal government’s wider austerity and fuel economy strategy aimed at reducing energy consumption amid rising fuel costs.
However, the measures were temporarily eased last month in the run-up to Eid ul Adha, celebrated from May 27-29.
On May 18, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a nationwide exemption from business closing hours until May 31, allowing shopping malls to operate without previously imposed restrictions.
The decision came after similar relaxations were announced by provincial administrations. In Punjab, authorities extended relaxed opening hours of markets and shopping malls until June 1, suspending the mandatory 8 p.m. closing time.
Similarly, on May 16, the Sindh government exempted markets, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and wedding halls from fixed closing hours in order to support economic activity and provide relief to traders and the public.
The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan also lifted restrictions on opening hours of markets and businesses, ending energy-saving measures in the provinces.
