Markets to close at 8pm as chief ministers give nod to proposal

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

The chief ministers of three provinces and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary representing CM Mahmood Khan have given nod to the federal government proposal on closing markets at 8 pm to conserve energy, though Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab would accord their formal approval after consultations, a government statement said.

The consensus emerged at the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), according to the statement.

However, traders’ bodies have expressed reservations, saying with prolonged power outages that effectively force customers out of shops closing markets earlier was not a workable solution.

The statement released after the NEC meeting said that chief ministers applauded the federal government’s effort in battling the energy crisis.

They assured the prime minister of their cooperation and said they would consult traders’ bodies and commerce associations before granting a formal accord.

Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab have sought two days for the consultation, the statement said.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Punjab’s Hamza Shahbaz, and Balochistan’s Abdul Quddus Bizenjo attended the meeting while KP’s Mahmood Khan was represented by chief secretary Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash.

Traders’ bodies express reservations

On the other hand, traders have expressed reservations about the government’s proposal to close markets earlier than usual.

Atiq Mir, who heads all Karachi Traders’ Alliance, said that it is not viable that markets first face power outages all day long and then close at 8pm.

He said the government decision was totally wrong and not a workable solution.

Mir said that markets must stay open until 10 pm, but if the electricity is provided uninterrupted throughout the day traders could think over it.