Karachi business people vowed not to adhere to the government’s decision to shut down the markets and marriage halls as part of an energy-saving strategy. They asserted that people always shop in the evening during the summer.
Traders reject early closure of markets: The promise of a continuous electrical supply is required for traders to close markets by 9 o’clock, according to the president of Anjuman Tajiran Karachi Jawed Shams.
He forewarned that the administration would face fierce opposition if it attempted to employ force. The traders vowed to protest or hold a sit-in if they carried out the judgment.
The government should have consulted the traders before developing the energy-saving strategy, lamented Muhammad Rizwan Irfan, President of the Karachi Electronics Dealers Association.
Naeem Mir, the secretary general of All-Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran (APAT), asserted that the province administration should have sought input from the business community before making the decision.
He pointed out that since businesses pay the highest electricity prices, it is important to develop favorable policies for them.
Ahsan Iqbal, the minister for planning, development, and special initiatives, declared yesterday that the federal and provincial governments had agreed to close all markets nationwide by 8 pm as part of an “energy conservation plan.”
While speaking with journalists, the federal minister announced after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting and agreed upon the estimated budget figures.
He stated, “The NEC has approved an energy conservation plan under which we will close shops and commercial centers by 8 pm,” emphasizing that Pakistan faces significant energy challenges due to the increasing international energy prices.
He cited last year’s pledge by the federal cabinet to carry out National Energy Conservation Plan choices. But, he said, “the provinces were not represented at that meeting.