Govt lifts early closing rules, lets shops stay open longer until May 31

Under latest directive, all shops, markets and shopping malls will be allowed to operate on all days of week

The Federal Cabinet on Monday temporarily suspended previously imposed closing-time restrictions under austerity measures on businesses nationwide. exempting a wide range of commercial establishments until May 31, according to an official notification.

In the notification issued by the Cabinet Division. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the immediate exemption from the earlier order dated April 6, which had set out regulated closing times for various businesses.

Under the latest directive, all shops, departmental stores, bazaars, markets,. shopping malls would be allowed to operate on all days of the week without restriction on closing hours. The exemption also applied to bakeries, tandoors, restaurants,. grocery stores, which would similarly be permitted to remain open throughout the week.

The order, signed by a joint secretary in the Cabinet Division, said the decision took effect immediately. would remain in force until May 31.

The federal government had previously announcedausterity measuresapplying across Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Under the austerity regulations, general stores, departmental stores,. all types of malls were to close by 8pm, and bakeries, restaurants,tandoors,and food outlets will be allowed to remain open until 10pm.

کاروباری اوقاتِ کار سے متعلق پابندیوں میں نرمی،وفاقی حکومت کی جانب سے نوٹیفکیشن جاری#FederalGovernment#GovernmentNotification#PublicNotice#LatestNewspic.twitter.com/zwJJ89hrzn

"Private properties and homes will also be prohibited from hosting weddings or social gatherings past 10pm. However, medical stores and pharmacies will remain exempt from these restrictions," the April 6 notification stated.

The government had also introduced a range of austerity steps, including an additional weekly holiday, cutting free petrol allocations for ministers, limiting protocol vehicles,. proposing subsidised fuel for students.

On May 6, Islamabad's Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon alsorevisedthe capital's austerity-driven timings. The Sindh government alsoannouncedon Saturday that shops, markets, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, marriage halls,. marquees would be exempt from the previously imposed closing-time restrictions under austerity measures.

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