AMN / WEB DESK
Facing severe economic and energy crisis, Pakistan has imposed new energy conservation plan aimed at saving energy — under which the timings of markets and wedding halls have been curtailed.
Pak Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Tuesday said government had approved a new energy conservation plan under which markets/malls would close by 8:30pm, and timings of wedding halls across the country will be limited to 10pm.
Asif announced the cabinet’s decision in a press conference. He was flanked by ministers Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for energy Khurram Dastgir KhanKhurram Dastagir Khan, and Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.
The defence minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the concerned authorities to cut the usage of electricity by all departments of the federal government by 30%. The PM, according to Asif, also ordered the officials against unnecessary consumption of electricity in the offices.
Khawaja Asif told journalists that measures approved by the cabinet aim to save the cash-strapped country about 62 billion Pakistani rupees ($273.4 million) and help reduce the energy import bill.
Meanwhile the trading community in the country has rejected the decision and sought its revocation.
All-Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran (APAT) President Ajmal Baloch, in a statement, asserted that the shops will not close before 10pm, while restaurants will remain open till 11pm.