Lahore, Punjab, markets and businesses can remain open until 10 pm after the Punjab government eased Lahore market timings until June 1 ahead of Eid al-Adha.
The Deputy Commissioner Lahore shared the notification on X on Friday and said the relaxed timings took effect immediately.
The decision followed repeated requests from Lahore’s business community and traders, who had sought longer market hours before Eid shopping.
Traders’ and business associations welcomed the move and praised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for allowing extended commercial activity.
The relief modified earlier energy-conservation restrictions that required markets to close at 8 pm amid concerns about fuel and energy linked to the regional Iran conflict.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier chaired a high-level meeting on austerity, energy conservation and petroleum products, after which the federal government announced 8 pm market closures in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Read: Pakistan Orders Markets, Malls to Shut at 8pm
The earlier restrictions allowed food outlets, bakeries, tandoors, restaurants, wedding halls and marquees to close by 10 pm, while medical stores and pharmacies remained exempt.
