Govt decides to shut markets and restaurants at 8pm, wedding halls at 10pm
In order to reduce circular debt in the energy sector, the federal government on Tuesday decided to close the markets and restaurants at 8pm and wedding halls at 10pm across the country.
The development came after the meeting of federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on energy sector.
In a meeting, its participants considered adoption of a comprehensive strategy to control the present circular debt in oil and gas sectors.
While addressing the press conference along with Marriyum Aurangzeb and PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira, Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced that the market and the restaurants across the country will be closed at 8pm, while the wedding halls will conclude its functions till 10pm.
The timings of the restaurants maybe extended an hour or so, he added.
“Markets around the world close by 6pm but we [Pakistanis] have a culture of wastage,” he said.
He further informed that 20 percent of employees working in the government departments will ‘work from home.”
Asif added that the country’s economy will benefit billions by saving energy from different sectors and 8000-9000 megawatts of electricity will be saved by the ‘tough decision’.
The Defense Minister said that the federal government will ask for the suggestions from provinces as this is a national energy saving program.
