Sindh rolls out early market closure schedule

Shops, malls in Karachi, other divisional headquarters to close at 9pm

KARACHI:

The Sindh government announced on Friday that all shops, markets, and shopping malls in Karachi and other divisional headquarters across the province will close at 9pm throughout the week—including Saturdays and Sundays—as part of austerity measures aligned with the federal government's directive.

On April 6, the federal government, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had decided that markets and shopping malls in the country, barring those in Sindh, would close by 8pm as part of energy conservation measures.

In a notification issued on Friday, the Sindh government further stated that markets, shops and shopping malls in districts other than divisional headquarters will close at 8pm.

Under the revised timings, all shops, markets, and shopping malls in districts other than divisional headquarters will close at 8pm, while in divisional headquarters - including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, and Larkana - businesses will be allowed to operate until 9pm. The orders will remain effective throughout the week, including weekends.

Essential services, however, have been exempted from these restrictions. These include tandoors, milk and dairy shops, bakeries, medical stores, laboratories, clinics, hospitals, and petrol pumps.

According to the Home Department notification, hotels, restaurants, and food outlets will be permitted to operate only during dinner hours, from 7pm to 11.30pm, while home delivery and takeaway services will continue without any restrictions.

Meanwhile, marriage halls and banquet facilities will be allowed to hold events from 8pm to midnight.

The provincial government has directed commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure strict implementation of these directives in their respective jurisdictions, in coordination with Sindh police.