- Pharmacies, hospitals, medical stores exempt from restrictions.
- Gasoline pumps and CNG stations will continue with normal operations.
- Restaurants, food establishments and tandoors will close at 10:00 p.m.
As part of energy conservation measures in the wake of rising fuel prices and supply constraints driven by the US-Iran conflict, the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration on Monday notified revised business hours across the city, requiring markets and malls to close at 8 p.m.
According to the notification, which came into effect from June 1, 2026, the closure schedule applies to all major markets and shopping malls in Islamabad. However, essential services are exempt from the restrictions.
As per the new order, pharmacies, hospitals and medical stores will continue to operate without any change in their timings, and petrol pumps and CNG stations will also remain open as per routine.
Restaurants, food establishments and tandoors have been ordered to close at 10 pm, and the same deadline has been set for grocery stores, bakeries and fruit and vegetable shops, according to the latest notification.
Wedding halls, gardens and marquees have also been included in the new hours and will not be allowed to operate beyond the 10 p.m. deadline.
Officials say the move is part of broader efforts to reduce energy consumption and streamline business activity during peak hours.
The latest notification follows a series of gradual relaxations and adjustments to business hours across the country in recent weeks, as federal and provincial authorities sought to balance economic activity with energy-saving goals.
In early May, the federal government had temporarily eased closure restrictions on shopping centers across the country, allowing extended operating hours for markets, malls, restaurants and other businesses.
The measure was later replicated by provincial governments before new restrictions were reintroduced in some areas, including Islamabad, under revised conservation plans linked to rising fuel costs and broader energy management efforts.
Most of the country’s electricity is produced using imported fossil fuels, including liquefied natural gas, whose prices have soared in recent months amid a military conflict in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main crude oil transport route in the region.
