The Sindh government on Friday notified that all shops, markets and shopping malls in Karachi and other divisional headquarters of the province will close at 9pm throughout the week, including Saturday and Sunday, as part of austerity measures and in line with the federal government’s decision.
In a notification dated April 10, the provincial government further stated that markets, shops and shopping malls in districts other than divisional headquarters will close at 8pm.
Tandoors (as standalone shops), milk and dairy shops, bakeries, medical stores and pharmacies, medical laboratories, clinics and hospitals, as well as fuel stations, will remain exempt from the order.
It further stated that hotels, restaurants, and food outlets will be allowed to operate between 7pm and 11:30pm for dinner timings. However, there will be no restriction on home delivery and takeaway services.
The notification further stated that all marriage/wedding halls and banquets in the province will operate between 8pm and midnight.
Over the past month, the government has adopted a host of austerity measures in the wake of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.
On April 6, the federal government, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, decided that markets and shopping malls in the country, barring those in Sindh, would close by 8pm as part of energy conservation measures.
It was also decided that bakeries, restaurants, tandoors and other eateries could remain open until 10pm.
“Marriage halls, marquees and other commercial centres where marriages take place will be closed by 10pm,” PM Shehbaz said during the meeting, according to the press release.
Addressing the implementation of austerity measures in Sindh, the prime minister had said that consultations with stakeholders were underway.
Later in the day, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah held a meeting with representatives of the business community and assured them that market timings in the province would be decided upon consultation.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, and representatives of other businesses.
On April 5, the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments also announced energy conservation measures, with markets and shopping centres closing at 8pm except in divisional headquarters.