Punjab revises market closing timings amid longer daylight hours

The Punjab government has revised the operating hours for a wide range of businesses across the province, citing extended daylight and high summer temperatures. According to an official notification issued on Wednesday, the revised schedule has taken effect immediately and will remain applicable until further notice. The move follows a similar relaxation announced at the federal level, where authorities eased earlier restrictions on business timings in view of longer days and seasonal heat. Earlier in April, both federal and provincial authorities had imposed reduced business hours as part of broader energy-saving efforts, introduced in response to rising fuel costs driven by regional tensions in the Middle East. Those measures were part of a wider austerity and fuel conservation strategy aimed at lowering electricity and fuel consumption nationwide. Under the newly issued timetable by the Punjab Government, most retail businesses — including shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery shops, general stores, and kiryana outlets — will now close at 9 pm daily, including weekends. Marriage halls, marquees, and similar event venues have been instructed to shut by 10 pm. Restaurants, cafés, cinemas, eateries, food outlets, as well as standalone fruit and vegetable vendors, are permitted to remain open until 11 pm. However, takeaway services and home delivery operations have been exempted from these restrictions. The notification further clarified that essential services will not be affected. Pharmacies, medical stores, laboratories, clinics, and hospitals will continue operating without any time limitations. In addition, standalone bakeries, tandoors, milk and dairy shops, fuel and CNG stations, electric vehicle charging points, gyms, sports facilities, IT companies, and call centres have also been exempted from the revised closing hours under the ongoing fuel conservation and austerity framework.