Market closing hours extended under austerity measures

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Austerity Measures at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where revised market closing hours were reviewed and approved. In view of extended daylight and higher summer temperatures, shops, markets, malls and general retail will now close at 9:00 PM, while restaurants, cafés and eateries will close at 11:00 PM, with takeaway and delivery services exempted. Marriage halls and event venues will continue to close at 10:00 PM. Essential services including pharmacies, hospitals, fuel stations, IT and telecom-related services are exempt. Can better implementation of these timings support energy saving without disrupting business activity?