LAHORE: After Sindh, Punjab too has decided to limit business hours as part of the government’s energy conservation plan to save electricity, Geo News reported Saturday.
According to the TV channel’s sources, markets across the province will shut down at 9:00pm for which consultations with trade associations and chambers have been completed.
The plan will come into force next week.
Under the first phase, the restrictions have been imposed for two months and a decision to further increase the duration will be taken after evaluation of the results.
Moreover, the sources revealed that the government is also considering closing restaurants earlier.
Commenting on the proposal, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Nauman Kabir said that the traders are on board with the government on all sorts of plans related to the national interest.
“Implementation of a power-saving plan will help save electricity and petrol,” he added.
‘Energy crisis emergency’
On Friday, the Sindh government issued a notification reducing business hours amid an ‘energy crisis emergency’ in the country.
According to the notification, markets across the province will shut down at 9pm, wedding halls by 10:30pm and eateries by 11pm.
Hospitals, pharmacies, petrol pumps and bakeries will be out of the ambit of the order.
In a statement, the provincial government said the crisis had prompted the Sindh government to invoke sections of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Act, 2010 and issue an order to reduce operational hours of shops and restaurants.
