Centre lifts business-hour restrictions ahead of Eidul Adha

With Eidul Adha just around the corner, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved to lift nationwide business hour restrictions until May 31, effectively permitting unrestricted operating hours for commercial centres.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday, PM Shehbaz has allowed business centres to operate without the previously imposed restrictions.

“The prime minister has been pleased to exempt, with immediate effect and till 31st May, 2026, the following entities from the applicability of the closure timings specified vide Cabinet Division’s notification of even number dated 6th April, 2026,” the notification read.

All shops, departmental stores, bazaars, markets, shopping malls, bakeries, tandoors, restaurants and grocery stores are allowed to operate 24/7, it added.

The development comes a couple of days after the provincial governments of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan lifted fixed closing timings for shops, markets, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, wedding halls and marquees.

The provinces and centre had last month imposed lockdown restrictions under the austerity policy.

On April 10, Sindh had enforced revised operating hours for markets, restaurants and marriage halls across the province under its austerity policy, issuing a formal notification with immediate effect.

Under the new schedule, shops, markets and shopping malls in all districts — except divisional headquarters — would close at 8pm, while businesses in divisional headquarters were allowed to operate until 9pm.

The restrictions applied seven days a week, including weekends.

Restaurants and food outlets were permitted to operate only during dinner hours, from 7pm to 11:30pm, though takeaway and home delivery services remained unaffected.