FPCCI asks govt to rethink early market closures as study shows sales fall

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Chairman and Vice President Zaki Aijaz on Tuesday called on the government to reconsider its decision to enforce early market closures. He also asked it to make business policies through meaningful consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

He spoke at a media briefing at the FPCCI Regional Office in Lahore on November 10. Business leaders including Tariq Mahmood, Rana Tariq Mehboob, Wasif Sikandar Butt and Hassan Javed attended. They said early closures are putting businesses under severe financial pressure and threatening the livelihoods of millions of people in retail and allied sectors.

The leaders noted that Pakistan has an electricity generation capacity of about 48,000 megawatts, while current consumption is around 14,000 megawatts. They urged the government to charge electricity used from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the same tariff as normal units.

A study by research firm Ipsos, presented by the Chainstore Association of Pakistan, found the early closing rule cut daily retail transactions by 42 percent, according to The Express Tribune. Average daily transactions per shop across the top 10 product categories fell from 86 to 50. Retailers in provinces where the 9pm rule applies said average operating hours fell from 11.2 to 9.6.

The share of retailers rating overall sales as good fell from 79 percent to 34 percent, and those reporting high profitability dropped from 67 percent to 26 percent. Of retailers surveyed, 56 percent said the energy-saving goal was achieved, but only 41 percent saw their own utility bills fall. In Punjab, Islamabad and Balochistan, where the rule is still in force, 31 percent saw lower bills.

Fieldwork covered 53 malls and markets in 10 cities between August and September 2026, with 1,046 consumers and 300 shopkeepers interviewed. About 73 percent of shops now open earlier, 34 percent started or expanded online sales and 12 percent cut staff. Half of the retailers oppose the rule and 32 percent support it.

Among consumers, 35 percent support early closing, 33 percent are neutral and 32 percent oppose it. Monthly shopping trips fell from 9.4 to 8.7, and women's trips from 7.2 to 5.8. Of 15 countries compared, only Bangladesh closes shops early to save energy. Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa lifted the rule on May 16, 2026.