THOUGH the early market closure directive has already been withdrawn, the way it was implemented by the government and the manner in which it was resisted by the markets present a good case study about how we behave as a nation. National cohesion was most needed in supporting government austerity measures, especially when such measures were driven by circumstances beyond anyone’s control. That was never on display.

Even media reports spent time building a negative narrative, projecting a dismal picture with unsubstantiated data about drop in sales to the tune of 25-30 per cent. As far as my understanding goes, our society is highly consumptive. About 45pc of the population is underprivileged and lives below the poverty line, while 1pc is the elite class.

In other words, 46pc people were not affected or bothered by early closure of markets. Also, about 60pc people live in the rural areas, and they, too, were not affected. It was only in major cities where the middle class had a problem not out of any apparent necessity, but owing to lifestyle choices.

In the affluent West, shops, markets and malls open their doors early in the morning. The shutters are pulled down around 5pm, while pharmacies, eateries, gyms, clubs and pubs remain open till late at night. To cater to the needs of the busy officegoers, some malls keep their business open for late hours once in a week that could well be a weekend. Why can we not do the same on a permanent basis?

The crux of the matter is that we have become accustomed to an easy life, our morning begins at midday. Midnight is the earliest that we think about going to bed. It is high time we pondered on such matters and explored how best we can change our lifestyle. For how long can we afford the luxury of a lifestyle that we struggle to adjust even during challenging times?

Muhammad K. Sufi
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2026