Tag: markets

  • Eid shopping: Markets in Lahore to remain open till 1am

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has approved an extension of market hours for the provincial capital, Samaa has reported. The decision has been taken keeping in mind that Eid-ul-Fitr is now around the corner and shoppers will throng markets.

    Justice Shahid Karim was informed during the hearing of a petition to reduce smog in the city that most people go for shopping after Iftar.

    He was also informed that the business community would lose money if marketplaces weren’t allowed to stay open until late at night. After hearing the arguments, the court allowed extension of market timings in Lahore.

    Previously, the markets in Punjab’s capital were allowed to stay open till 10pm.

  • Traders reject govt’s early market closure plan

    Traders reject govt’s early market closure plan

    The federal government’s proposal to close all markets and restaurants by 8:30 pm. as part of a new energy conservation plan has been opposed by traders across the nation, who claim that such measures cannot be used to save energy.

    The chief of Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajran Pakistan (MTTP), Kashif Chaudhry, said that the government had developed the policy without consulting the business community and had failed to adhere to the energy conservation plan.

    “It is not possible to save energy by such measures,” Kashif Chaudhry said, warning of “strong resistance” if the government tried to forcefully close the market.

    He regretted the fact that the administration opted to enact its “unilateral” action despite loud protests and assurances from the authorities.

    In an effort to conserve energy, he urged that the government forbid its employees from using heaters and air conditioners in their workplaces. He said that since we buy the most expensive electricity, advantageous plans should be developed for us.

    Meanwhile, the president of the Karachi Electronics Dealers Association, Rizwan Irfan, disclosed that the Sindh government has met with owners of wedding venues and restaurants over the energy-saving strategy.

    During the meetings, he claimed, all parties involved agreed that markets and malls should be permitted to stay open until 9 or 10 pm., while eateries and wedding venues should be permitted to stay open until 11 or 12 pm.

    “However, despite the Sindh government’s assurance, they imposed a unilateral decision,” Irfan lamented, asking the government to bear their expenses.

    Additionally, Ilyas Memon, president of the Saddar Traders Association, claimed that the decision to close markets early amounted to the destruction of enterprises.

    “The police and the administration should not harass the businessmen,” he said, adding that the Sindh government should not file an FIR as per the decisions taken in the consultation meeting.

  • Punjab: Markets to remain open after 9pm and on Sunday

    Punjab: Markets to remain open after 9pm and on Sunday

    The Punjab government on Wednesday lifted all restrictions imposed on businesses across the province to remain open late into the night.

    The ban had been in place since June.

    Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi lifted the ban on the demand of the traders.

    Business centres, markets and shops will remain open on Sundays as well. In addition, markets, shops and businesses will remain open after 9pm, said the chief minister.

    Earlier in June, former CM Punjab Hamza Shehbaz stated that markets across the province would close at 9pm as the government sought to conserve electricity following the country’s power crisis.

  • Energy crisis: Sindh govt announces market closures by 9pm

    Energy crisis: Sindh govt announces market closures by 9pm

    The Sindh government announced that all markets, restaurants, marriage halls and hotels will be closed early in order to save electricity. The decision will remain in force from June 17 (today) to July 16.

    According to an official notification by the provincial Home Department, all markets, bazars, shops and malls will close by 9pm. Marriage and banquet halls will close by 10:30pm, while hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and cafes must shut by 11pm. However, the decision is not applicable to medical stores, pharmacies, hospitals, petrol pumps, CNG stations, bakeries and milk shops.

    The notification reads: “The urgent need to take the effective measures for the conservation of energy in Sindh through a two-pronged approach, i.e. to utilise the daylight hours for business activities and minimise the possible adverse impact of the business activities.”

    However, the All Pakistan Trade Union Association has rejected this decision of the provincial government, reports ARY News.

    Pakistan is facing a serious power crisis due to which the government has resorted to load-shedding all over the country.

    Last week, as part of the government’s ongoing measures to manage the energy crisis, the National Economic Council (NEC) agreed on the closure of markets by 8:30pm in all provinces.

    No power in commercial areas in the evening from 7-10pm

    The Power Division has decided to cut supply to commercial feeders from 7pm to 10pm daily across Pakistan, reports Geo News.

    In this regard, the Ministry of Energy has prepared a summary for the cabinet’s approval. According to the media outlet’s sources, the commercial feeders will not face load-shedding during the daytime, which would save approximately 5,000 MegaWatt (MW).

    Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that a huge amount of electricity can be saved if people start their businesses early in the morning and close by Maghrib prayers. He said that saving electricity means saving oil.

  • ‘We cannot afford this anymore’: Traders in Sindh, KP, Balochistan to reopen businesses from today

    Traders across the country have said that they would resume operations from today (April 15), however, the business community in Punjab has urged the government to permit activities for a limited time.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, in his address to the nation on Tuesday, extended the lockdown till April 30, saying that some industries such as construction would be allowed to operate from Wednesday.

    The business community in Karachi said that they would resume operations from April 15 and that the traders would follow preventive measures. “We cannot afford the imposed restrictions anymore,” said a representative of Karachi’s trader community while addressing a press conference.

    “The businessmen have paid their employees a month’s salary but we will be unable to do so if the lockdown extends,” he said, adding that they would hand over the keys to their shops to the officials at the Chief Minister (CM) House and protest outside the provincial chief executive’s office if they are kept from resuming business activities.

    Voicing the traders in Sindh, Balochistan’s business community said that they would also resume operations from April 15. They said that the traders could no longer bear the lockdown restrictions, adding that activities would be conducted and precautionary measures would be followed. “The provincial government has been informed regarding the decision to resume operations.”

    Furthermore, the traders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) said that they could not afford the lockdown further and that they would open shops from April 15 as well.

    United Business Group President Ilyas Bilour said that small scale traders were forced into starvation due to the lockdown, and lamented that labourers were severely affected due to the closure of business centres.