Sindh govt relaxes market timings ahead of Eidul Azha

The Sindh government on Sunday relaxed the business hours restriction for markets across the province ahead of Eidul Azha, Aaj News reported.

The provincial government said that the decision, which comes into effect tonight, was made to facilitate the traders and the public.

Under the amended notification, businesses will be allowed to operate late at night till July 10.

“The restrictions will be re-enforced from July 11,” it added.

Earlier, the Punjab government also lifted the restrictions related to the early closure of markets due to Eid.

“The restriction to shut markets and bazaars till 9pm has been ended from July 3 till Chandraat [July 09],” said the notification issued by the secretary of the Labour and Human Resource Department on late Saturday.

Punjab govt lifts ban on closure of markets at 9pm until July 9

In a separate statement, Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz said that the decision was taken to facilitate the “traders' community as well as the public ahead of Eid approaching fast.”

“It will make ease in doing business round the clock ahead of Eid,” the chief minister said.

“Now there would be no time restriction till July 9,” he added.

Owing to a growing energy shortfall and persistent electricity load-shedding in Pakistan, the provincial governments of Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan implemented on June 19 an energy conservation programme. Under the plan, markets were closed at 9 pm and food outlets at 11:30 pm.

Earlier, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad announced that Eidul Azha would be celebrated on July 10 (Sunday).

The decision was announced following a meeting of the committee held in Karachi. The meetings of the zonal committees were also held at their respective headquarters in Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, and Peshawar.