After Sindh, Punjab all set to reduce business hours

Punjab CM Hamza meets traders’ community to take them on board

LAHORE:

After the Sindh government, the Punjab government is also set to close down businesses early in a bid to conserve electricity to save the country from going deep into electricity crisis, however, a notification of the decision was not issued till the filing of this report.

According to the Chief Minister Office, the Punjab government has decided to shut down markets at 9pm and eateries at 11:30pm for six days a week, while wedding halls will be closed at the same time -- 10pm – for the entirety of the week.

The markets and eateries will be given a relaxation on Saturday, when they will be allowed to open for as long as they desire. The decision was taken during a meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz with traders of the province.

Also read: ECC approves Rs7.91 power tariff hike

The proposals given to the provincial government were kept before traders who were then asked to present theirs. According to the CM Office, these proposals were mutually agreed to by all segments of the traders’ community.

According to a handout issued by the CM Office, “Chief Minister Hamza, after holding consultations with the office-bearers’ delegation of the traders’ community, announced the closure of markets, bazaars and business centres of the province at 9pm.”

The CM disclosed that the restaurants would remain open till 11:30pm, adding that marriage halls would remain open till 10pm according to the previous policy.

He revealed that the traders’ community would be given special favour in their business timings on Saturday, adding that the closure decision will not be applicable on the medical stores.

The CM maintained that the timing policy for Eid shopping would be reviewed in consultation with the traders’ community and their demand would be given due consideration.

The traders’ community of the province announced full support for the government’s measures to overcome energy crisis, lauding the steps being taken for conserving energy.

Hamza appreciated the traders’ community for always supporting the nation in difficult times and thanked them for extending their unconditional support for the government’s steps.

Read more: Sindh markets to shut by 9pm

The CM said, “Consultation is beneficial and positive decisions emerge. The traders’ community always plays a pivotal role for the betterment of the economy.”

The office-bearers of the traders’ community expressed their views and also submitted proposals.
Khawaja Salman Rafique, Ahmad Hassan, Rana Mashood Ahmad, Syed Ali Haider Gilani, Atta Tarar, Chaudhry Bilal Asghar, Imran Goraya, chief secretary and officials concerned were also present.

According to senior PML-N leader Khawaja Ahmad Hasan, who was present during the meeting, it was decided not to use police to enforce this decision.

He said traders requested the government to allow them to enforce the decision in the first phase. Honouring their request, he said, the Punjab government agreed with the traders’ bodies that they would to get the decision implemented on their own.

“The district administration and towns along with police will be on a look out to ensure no violations are committed. Where there will be such complaints, traders' communities will be given the opportunity to get the orders executed.”

He said the traders’ community was completely on board with the idea of closing the markets early. “Traders are of the view that markets should instead be opened early as it happens in the rest of the world.”

He said the decision to open markets early was for the business community to take to change the market trend. He said traders of a certain market even offered to close down their shops at 7pm, however, to ensure uniformity, their proposal was turned down.

The decision was initially reached by all provinces during the National Economic Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif some 10 days back, however, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have sought two days to consult with the business community.

However, some of the traders’ community extended their all-out support while others rejected the proposal and even threatened to go on a protest strike.

A senior employee at one of the biggest restaurants of the province expressed his apprehension, saying that food businesses should be allowed to operate till 12:30am. “Eateries start getting customers by 8pm and then the footfall continues till 11pm.”

He said those who enter at 11pm could not be catered to, if restaurants are to close at 11:30pm. He urged the government to reconsider the proposals as any drop in food business would mean more layoffs of lower income workers.

Amjad Bhatti, the president of a traders’ association, said that all leading trader associations have welcomed this decision.

“This decision is for the betterment of the country,” he said, adding that it had come to their notice that two associations in Lahore had rejected this decision.

However, he said, “The markets that these wings belong to accept the decision, and will observe the timing regulation.”

He said all the main markets’ representatives, including those from the PTI, were present during the meeting with the Punjab CM and all seconded the decision of imposing a time regulation.