Overview
- Federal austerity planners chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar adopted a national guideline on Tuesday that allows shops to stay open until 9pm and restaurants until 11pm, asking provinces to coordinate implementation.
- Before the federal update, Islamabad’s district administration issued an order effective June 1 requiring markets to close at 8pm and food outlets at 10pm, and Punjab restored an 8pm closure from June 2.
- Traders’ groups have mounted strong opposition and threatened protests, citing a Chain Store Association survey that found 10–40% revenue losses during the 8pm cutoff and large evening footfall concentrated after 7pm.
- Official notifications consistently exempt essential services such as hospitals, pharmacies, petrol and CNG stations, dairy shops, IT and call centres serving international clients, and allow takeaway and delivery without time limits.
- Enforcement is likely to remain uneven because provincial and district administrations set and monitor timings, raising the risk of clashes between local orders and the new federal guidance and prolonging uncertainty for businesses and consumers.