Govt wants shutters down by 8pm, again
The government has, once again, decided to shut markets and commercial centres by 8pm daily to conserve energy, a decision quickly rejected by traders who say 8pm is when peak time starts. The government has also decided to include energy reforms in the budget for the next fiscal year to cut the country’s reliance on imported fuel. The decisions were taken in two meetings chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday. After a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told the media that the provinces had agreed to implement the early market closure from July 1. Traders oppose proposed energy conservation measures; minister says prohibitive fuel costs necessitate early closures “Today, steps for energy conservation have been recommended under the plan, such as the closure of shops and commercial centres by 8pm, switching to LED lights and upgrading geysers to make them more energy efficient,” he said, hoping that these measures could help the country save up to $1 billion a year. Recent attempts by the government to enforce early market closure have failed, apparently due to political compulsions and pressure from traders.