Pakistan orders 8pm market shutdown amid fuel crisis

Dubai: Pakistan has ordered early closure of markets and shopping malls across most of the country as surging fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict force urgent energy-saving measures.

The decision, reported by Geo News, was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday.

Under the new rules, markets, shopping malls, departmental stores and other retail outlets will close at 8pm from April 7 in all provinces except Sindh, according to an official statement.

The restrictions will apply across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, with slight flexibility in some regions.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, markets in divisional headquarters may remain open until 9pm, while restaurants, bakeries, tandoors and wedding halls will shut by 10pm. Private wedding events at homes will also face similar time restrictions.

Medical stores and pharmacies will be exempt.

The move comes as Pakistan grapples with a sharp spike in global energy prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted oil supplies and heightened concerns over fuel availability.

Fuel prices have surged dramatically in recent weeks, with petrol briefly climbing to Rs458.41 per litre and diesel to Rs520.35, before the government rolled back some increases by cutting petroleum levies.

Key measures

• Markets shut at 8pm nationwide (except Sindh)

• Restaurants, weddings close by 10pm

• Exemptions: pharmacies and medical stores

• Fuel prices surged sharply amid global crisis

• Austerity steps: 4-day workweek, spending cuts

• Free transport announced in select northern regions

Despite the partial relief, energy costs remain elevated, prompting authorities to introduce broader austerity measures.

These include a four-day workweek for government offices, cuts to fuel allowances and a 20% reduction in public sector expenditures, aimed at easing pressure on the country’s strained economy.

In a further relief step, the government announced free intercity public transport for one month in Gilgit and Muzaffarabad.

Provincial governments had already begun implementing similar restrictions, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan ordering early closures of markets and wedding halls ahead of the federal decision.

The latest nationwide curbs signal a coordinated push to conserve energy as Pakistan braces for prolonged volatility in global oil markets.