The authorities in Islamabad have announced enforcing revised business operating hours ordering markets, shopping malls and shops to shut down at 8pm.
The Islamabad district administration has enforced revised business operating hours under ongoing austerity measures, effective today (Monday – 1 June 2026).
According to the notification issued on Monday morning, markets, shops and shopping malls will close at 8:00 pm, while restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries and other food outlets will operate until 10:00 pm.
Marriage halls, marquees and other event venues will also close at 10:00 pm.
Essential services, including pharmacies, hospitals, petrol pumps, dairy shops, sports facilities, call centres and IT companies serving international clients, remain exempt from these restrictions, said the notification.
The smart lockdown restrictions will also not apply on milk and dairy shops and there will also be no bar on takeaway and home delivery services.
On May 18, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved the removal of restrictions on business closing hours across the country until May 31, allowing commercial activities to continue without time limits previously enforced.
The decision followed similar relaxations already introduced by provincial governments. Punjab had extended flexible business hours until June 1, while also suspending the 8pm closure requirement for markets and commercial areas.
In Sindh, authorities announced easing of restrictions on May 16, exempting markets, malls, restaurants, hotels, and marriage halls from fixed timings to encourage economic activity.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan also lifted curbs on business hours and ended smart lockdown measures across their respective regions.
Previously, business timings were restricted nationwide in April as part of energy-saving measures introduced in response to rising fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.
These steps were part of the federal government’s broader austerity and fuel conservation strategy aimed at reducing energy consumption.
