Commercial centres receive temporary exemption
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the removal of nationwide business hour restrictions until May 31, allowing commercial centres and businesses across Pakistan to operate without fixed closing times ahead of Eidul Adha.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday, the prime minister granted immediate temporary relief from restrictions imposed under an earlier government notification issued on April 6, 2026. As a result, commercial activities will continue without the previously enforced closure timings.
The notification stated that the government had exempted specific business sectors from mandatory operating-hour limits. Therefore, commercial centres will now enjoy unrestricted business operations during the exemption period.
Provinces had already eased restrictions
Under the latest decision, all shops, departmental stores, bazaars, markets, shopping malls, bakeries, tandoors, restaurants and grocery stores can now remain open around the clock.
Meanwhile, the federal move follows recent decisions by the provincial governments of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which had already removed fixed closing schedules for shops, markets, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, wedding halls and marquees.
Previously, both the federal and provincial governments introduced operating-hour restrictions as part of austerity measures aimed at reducing energy consumption and limiting expenditures.
Earlier, on April 10, the Sindh government implemented revised business timings throughout the province under its austerity policy. Authorities had directed markets, shops and shopping malls in districts outside divisional headquarters to close at 8pm, while businesses within divisional headquarters could operate until 9pm.
Additionally, the restrictions applied every day of the week, including weekends. Restaurants and food outlets could serve customers only from 7pm to 11:30pm, although takeaway and home delivery services continued without interruption.
