RAWALPINDI: Traders of the garrison city on Monday demanded the Punjab government to extend the closing hours of shops under the smart lockdown from 8:00 pm to 10 :00 pm, while the working hours of hotels, restaurants and food and beverage centers be extended from 10pm to 12 midnight

Traders have also demanded an immediate and appropriate reduction in the prices of petroleum products.

Addressing a press conference at the Rawalpindi Press Club, President of the Central Association of Traders of Rawalpindi and Punjab Malik Shahid Ghafoor Paracha, Raja Toheed Ahmed, Munir Baig, Sheikh Hafeez, Tariq Jadoon, Sajid Butt, Saifullah Khan, Sardar Saqib, Qari Khalid, Munir Baig, Zaheer Abbasi, Malik Waqas and other office bearers said that if these demands were not heeded, the business community will be forced to launch a protest movement not only in Rawalpindi but also in the entire Punjab.

They said that the current closure timings were set during the era when Maghrib prayers were offered at around 5:30 pm, however, now in the summer Maghrib prayer is offered at around 7 pm.

Due to this change, they said citizens mostly visit the markets for shopping in the evening when the temperature drops, but due to early closure of shops, the public is facing severe difficulties while traders are also facing heavy financial losses.

They added that employees who are relieved from government and private offices also mostly do shopping in the evening, so the current policy is not only against public convenience but is also affecting business activities.

They demanded the government to provide relief to both traders and citizens by extending the working hours.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026