Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday approved the extension in closing timings for businesses with immediate effect.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division and shared by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on X, the decision was taken in light of “longer daylight hours and rising temperatures in summer”.

The notification stated that markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery shops, general stores and kiryana shops will close at 9m throughout the week.

Marriage halls, marquees and all other commercial venues where festive events are held will close at 10pm throughout the week. Meanwhile, restaurants, cafes, eateries, food outlets, and standalone fruit and vegetable shops will close at 11pm; takeaway and home delivery will be exempt.

In addition, pharmacies, medical supply stores, laboratories, clinics, hospitals, bakeries, tandoors, milk and dairy shops, fuel pumps, electric vehicle charging stations, gyms, sports facilities, information technology companies and call centres will be exempt from the timings.

It added that provincial and regional governments “are advised to implement these timings accordingly”.

The development comes a day after a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Austerity Measures — chaired by DPM Dar — had extended the closing time of shops, markets, malls and general retail to 9pm in view of the extended daylight and higher summer temperatures.

The government had announced unprecedented austerity measures on March 9 in the wake of the Middle East war to deal with the global energy crisis, which had arisen due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. On May 11, PM Shehbaz had extended the countrywide austerity drive till June 13.

The measures extended included 50 per cent reduction in fuel allowance for official vehicles, with the exemption of operational vehicles such as ambulances and public buses.

Other steps included grounding 60pc of official vehicles and a complete ban on foreign visits by ministers and government officials, excluding those deemed essential for the country’s interests, as specified the last time.