- Consular services will remain open on Fridays throughout the country.
- Grocery stores allowed extended evening hours of operation.
- Provinces ordered to enforce revised federal guidelines.
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday extended its austerity drive and fuel conservation measures till June 30, while revising commercial operating hours across the country, an official statement said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, which reviewed the exemptions requested by various ministries and divisions and finalized its recommendations.
The committee decided that consular certification services at the Ministry of External Affairs and its liaison offices in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Gujrat and Lahore will remain open on Fridays to facilitate the public.
It also recommended extending the validity of the austerity measures, originally scheduled to expire on June 13, 2026, until June 30, 2026.
The committee also approved extending the closing hours of kiryana and independent grocery stores to 10pm daily, including weekends.
Earlier, the federal government had issued a notification introducing revised timelines for business closures under fuel conservation measures, directing provincial governments to ensure their implementation.
According to the revised schedule, shops, markets, shopping malls and general retail outlets will close at 9:00 pm, while restaurants, cafes and eateries will be allowed to operate until 11:00 pm.
Takeaway and delivery services have been exempt from these restrictions. Wedding halls and event venues will continue to close at 10:00 p.m. without any change in schedules.
Essential services, including pharmacies, hospitals, fuel stations, and IT and telecommunications services, will remain exempt from the updated regulations.
The committee also directed provincial governments to ensure effective implementation of the revised guidelines in coordination with federal authorities.
The austerity measures were originally introduced in April as part of a broader energy conservation strategy in response to rising fuel costs linked to regional tensions in the Middle East. Restrictions were temporarily eased ahead of Eid ul Adha, with multiple provincial and federal relaxations granted throughout May.
