Relaxation in energy conservation measures, decision to extend the hours of grocery stores

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Committee on Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, in which a detailed review of the exemption requests and austerity measures submitted by various ministries was taken.

The meeting decided that the Consular Attestation Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its liaison offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujarat will remain open on Fridays for public convenience.

The committee also recommended that the period of additional austerity measures ending on June 13, 2026, be extended until June 30, 2026.

It was further decided that the working hours of small grocery and grocery stores established across the country will be extended until 10 pm, while this facility will be for all days of the week including Saturday and Sunday.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Petroleum, Minister of Climate Change, Minister of IT and Telecom, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Finance, Special Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the secretaries of the Cabinet Division, Commerce, Petroleum and IT, and other senior officials.