Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced on Tuesday a unified decision by federal and provincial governments to enforce an 8 pm closure of markets nationwide as part of an energy conservation strategy. This announcement followed a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Islamabad by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The federal minister shared that chief ministers from three provinces – Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – attended the meeting. Meanwhile, Balochistan’s planning minister represented their provincial government. Iqbal emphasized that this energy conservation measure could result in around $1 billion in annual savings.
He clarified that provincial government representatives in the NEC meeting were urged to ensure this initiative’s implementation to preserve vital resources. Acknowledging energy as a significant challenge for Pakistan, Iqbal pledged that the government will lessen reliance on fossil fuels and imported oil, emphasizing energy conservation.
He said the government intends to support green energy, including solar, hydroelectric, and wind energy, without initiating any new imported fuel-based projects.
Recalling the federal government’s approval of an energy conservation plan in January this year, markets and malls were supposed to shut down by 8:30 pm, with a ban imposed on inefficient appliances to save around Rs62 billion annually potentially.
PM Shehbaz Sharif had previously directed federal government departments to reduce their electricity consumption by 30%. The coalition government stated that the approved measures aimed to save the financially strained country about Rs62 billion ($273.4 million), thereby reducing the energy import bill.
However, the implementation of these measures has been inconsistent across the nation.
