ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The federal government is considering extending its energy-saving restrictions until the end of June, while offering some relief to retailers by allowing standalone grocery and kiryana stores to remain open later each day.
The recommendation emerged from a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
During the session, the committee reviewed requests from various ministries and divisions seeking exemptions from the existing restrictions and formulated proposals for the next phase of the government’s conservation plan.
One of the major recommendations was to prolong the additional austerity measures that were due to expire on June 13, extending their implementation until June 30, 2026.
At the same time, the committee proposed easing business-hour restrictions for neighbourhood retailers by permitting standalone grocery and kiryana stores to operate until 10:00pm every day of the week, including weekends.
In a move aimed at improving public access to government services, the committee also agreed that consular attestation facilities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its liaison offices in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Gujrat and Lahore should continue functioning on Fridays.
The meeting was attended by the federal ministers for petroleum, climate change, and IT and telecom, along with the special assistant to the prime minister on finance, the special assistant to the deputy prime minister, and senior officials representing key ministries and divisions.
The austerity drive was launched in April as part of a wider effort to curb fuel consumption and manage the impact of rising energy prices triggered by regional instability in the Middle East. Ahead of Eid ul Adha, authorities temporarily relaxed several restrictions to facilitate businesses and the public.
With fuel conservation still a priority, the latest recommendations suggest the government is seeking a balance between maintaining energy-saving measures and reducing inconvenience for citizens and businesses.
