Markets to close at 8pm in Pakistan's energy conservation plan, traders object

Pakistan’s government has once again decided to shut shops and malls early as part of its energy conservation plan. A similar order was given by the government in January.

The latest decision to save energy in the cash-strapped country was taken in meetings chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on June 6. Following the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the federal and provincial governments have decided to close the shops by 8 pm in the country, according to Dawn newspaper.

“Today, steps for energy conservation have been recommended under the plan, such as the closure of shops and commercial centres by 8 pm, switching to LED lights and upgrading geysers to make them more energy efficient,” said the minister. He added that such steps could help save around $1 billion annually, the report added.

The traders, meanwhile, have refused to close their shops by 8 pm, saying that it is the peak shopping time, the report stated.

Ajmal Baloch, president of the All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran, said that people don’t step out during the daytime in summer and prefer shopping between 8 pm and 11 pm. “Is it a wise decision to save energy at the cost of the country’s economy,” he asked, per Dawn.

Minister Iqbal said that representatives of provincial governments, who were present in the meeting, have been told to implement the recommendations to save resources, according to Geo News.

He underlined that the government would reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and imported oil and focus on energy conservation. The government, he added, would also promote clean energy like hydel, wind, and solar energy and would not approve any new fuel-based project, the report said.

In January, Pakistan's government ordered all malls and markets to close by 8.30pm, among other measures in a new energy conservation plan. Defence minister Khawaja Asif told journalists that measures approved by the cabinet aimed to save the country about 62 billion Pakistani rupees ($273.4 million at January exchange rates ).

He said additional immediate measures included shutting wedding halls by 10 pm daily. He added that some market representatives had pushed for longer hours, but the government decided that earlier closure was needed.

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