The federal government has approved an extension in operating hours for grocery and general stores, allowing them to remain open until 10pm on all days of the week.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the decision was announced following a meeting of the committee responsible for monitoring and implementing fuel conservation and austerity measures.
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
A statement issued on Wednesday said that the revised business hours will apply throughout the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, enabling grocery and convenience stores to continue operations until 10pm.
The committee also recommended extending the duration of existing austerity measures from 13 June to 30 June 2026. The proposal is aimed at maintaining government efforts to ensure efficient use of resources and energy conservation.
In a separate decision, the government announced that all consular services offices operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will remain open on Fridays. Consular facilities will be available in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Gujrat and Lahore.
According to the official statement, the decision has been taken to facilitate the public by ensuring the continued availability of document attestation and other consular services on Fridays.
The committee also finalised recommendations regarding exemptions under the austerity framework.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers, special assistants and senior government officials. Ministers for Petroleum, Climate Change, and Information Technology and Telecommunications participated in the session alongside the secretaries of the Cabinet, Commerce, Petroleum and Information Technology divisions.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant institutions were also present during the meeting.
Reporter: Anwar Abbasc