Overview
- Enforcement began Tuesday as Islamabad and other jurisdictions started shutting shops and malls at 8 p.m., with food outlets and wedding events capped at 10 p.m. and pharmacies exempt.
- The move followed a Monday review led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that set 8 p.m. closures across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit‑Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with K‑P divisional hubs allowed until 9 p.m.
- Implementation varies by province as Sindh continues talks with traders and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz keeps market hours at 10 p.m. pending consultations.
- The government paired the curbs with relief, reporting 100,000 digital‑wallet transfers for fuel subsidies and one month of free public transport in Gilgit and Muzaffarabad.
- Officials tie the restrictions to a fuel crunch driven by Gulf supply disruptions and higher oil prices, with Balochistan’s order noting oversight by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.