Electricity crisis: Markets to close at 8:30PM

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: The National Economic Council (NEC) on Wednesday decided to close markets across the country at 8:30pm to conserve energy, which has become too expensive to afford for the consumers in Pakistan.

The decision was taken during the NEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The meeting was attended by chief ministers of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was represented by its chief secretary Dr Shehzad Khan.

During the meeting, the provincial chief ministers were apprised of the proposals and decisions taken during the June 7, 2022 meeting of the federal cabinet to deal with the energy crisis in the country.

The chief ministers agreed with the federal government’s proposal to close the markets at 8.30pm.

Meanwhile, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan have asked for two days to implement the decision as they wish to consult the traders’ association in their provinces.

The chief ministers also backed the decisions of the federal cabinet on nationwide measures to deal with the energy crisis and assured their full cooperation in tackling the energy crisis.

A day earlier, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the power ministry had recommended changing Friday to a work-from-home day.

She informed media persons that the premier had also constituted a committee in this regard to gauge the efficiency of the measure and inform the cabinet in its next meeting.

The move came as hours-long power outages hit the country, with demand outstripping generation during the peak summer months. Soaring global fuel prices have also increased pressure on the external account and the local currency has hit record lows against the dollar.

The austerity measures are being taken as part of the government’s plan to rein in the cash crunch as well as minimise the use of power as the current demand for electricity is 28,400 megawatts and there is a gap of 4600MW amid an extraordinary heat wave.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Power Minister Khurram Dastagir said the early closure of markets and work-from-home arrangements could save electricity.