PM relaxes timings for shops, markets in Islamabad till May 31

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday relaxed timings for the markets and shops till May 31 in Islamabad. The temporary relief for the shops and markets in Islamabad will be implemented with the immediate effect. The relevant authorities have issued the notification in this regard. Earlier, the trading community called on the government to relax lockdown-related restrictions, arguing that similar relief measures had already been implemented in several provinces. Business representatives said that traders have consistently supported government policies and cooperated during challenging periods in the national interest, despite facing financial hardships. Former Traders Welfare Association Super Market President Sarfraz Mughal stated that the lockdown was imposed without prior consultation with the business community. However, he added that traders accepted the decision in view of national circumstances. He stressed that authorities must address the difficulties being faced by the business sector and take immediate steps to mitigate the impact of restrictions on commercial activity. Mughal further noted that a number of prominent business figures, including Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Atif Ikram, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sardar Tahir, trader leader Ajmal Baloch, Kashif Chaudhry, and Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders President Sheikh Tayyab, have also urged the government to ease restrictions in Islamabad. The business community maintains that continued limitations are affecting economic activity in the capital and has appealed for a balanced approach that supports both public health considerations and commercial stability. Islamabad’s New Business Timings announced for Shops, Markets and Services