Energy crisis: Markets, shopping malls to close by 9pm in Islamabad

• Eateries across to be closed by 11:30pm.
• Marriage halls must shut down by 10:00pm.
• Medical services, fuel stations, milk shops to be exempted from restricted timings.

ISLAMABAD: After the implementation of orders to close markets in Sindh and Punjab early to conserve energy because of an ongoing power crisis in the country, markets and shopping centres in the federal capital, too, will now close by 9pm.

A notification issued for this stated that Section 144 of Pakistan Penal Code will be implemented in Islamabad.

Marriage halls must shut down by 10:00 pm, the statement read, adding that medical stores, pharmacies, hospitals, petrol pumps, CNG stations, bakeries, milk shops, vegetable markets, tandoors and bus stands will be exempted from restricted timings.

Meanwhile, eateries, industries, clubs parks and cinemas will close by 11:30pm.

Punjab to close markets at 9pm in a bid to conserve energy

Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz on Saturday announced that markets across the province would close at 9pm as the government seeks to conserve energy following a power crisis hitting the country.

The chief minister made the announcement during a meeting with representatives from trade associations, according to an official post-meeting statement.

A day earlier, the Sindh government announced that markets across the province will shut down at 9pm to save electricity as the country witnesses constant power outages.

The measure, which will remain in effect till July 16, is in response to the prevalent outages, and load shedding of the electricity and seeks to reduce the shortfall between the supply and demand of electricity, according to the notification.