KARACHI: Traders on Tuesday rejected the government's decision to close down markets by 8 pm, saying that in the summer season shopping always takes place in the evening.

"The government should reverse its decision on markets closing time by 8 pm," spokesman for All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran Sindh chapter Ismail Lalpuria said.

He urged the coalition government to adopt austerity measures with first quitting the use of free electricity to bureaucracy to help the economy grow.

"In such hot weather, traders will not shut down their businesses by 8 pm at any cost," he said, adding that the government has achieved nothing from such a "failed" practice in the past, as well.

During the sizzling summers, he said that the people prefer shopping between 8 pm and 11 pm since nobody pays a visit to markets in daytime.

Forcing the markets to close down their activities is not a judicious decision, he said, adding that the economy is being hurt for the sake of energy saving.

He said that the traders are compelled to pay higher bills for electricity. He demanded of the federal energy minister to hold a meeting with traders to solve their problems.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023