IN the project to regulate those aspects of citizens’ lives that can pose problems, it should be a rule that governments announce remedial measures only when they have been carefully examined through the lens of fairness and enforceability. Unfortunately, this does not always happen in Pakistan. A case in point is the attempt made on several occasions, both at the federal and the provincial levels, to dictate when city markets should shut down, the aim being to save electricity, which has in recent years become a commodity the country finds itself increasingly short of. The idea is not a bad one, and could theoretically go some way towards plugging the shortfall; however, in most such instances, the state has been unable to enforce the regulation across the full spectrum of commercial areas in various cities and, importantly, has also selected unrealistic timings. A deadline by when businesses must wind up their activities across Sindh was most recently suggested by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who pitched 7pm, pending the input of stakeholders. This came on Thursday when government officials met representatives of traders’ and businessmen’s bodies at the Sindh Secretariat. Unsurprisingly, the latter group, while agreeing to the move in principle, said that 7pm was not feasible and suggested 9pm instead.
It is difficult not to agree with their proposal, given the realities of life in not just Karachi but also other urban areas. With office hours generally extending till 5pm, and given a milieu where increasingly both men and women work, early shop closures would not only inconvenience the citizenry they would also constitute a reason for violating the unreasonable timings. Given that a 9pm deadline has been suggested by the trade lobby itself, it is more likely to be adhered to. If the plan does go ahead with the change having been incorporated, the challenge for the administration will be to ensure the enforcement of the rules across the board, in large malls and shops frequented by the elite as well as smaller businesses.
Published in Dawn October 22nd, 2016