ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has decided to extend the closing time of standalone grocery and kiryana stores to 10:00 PM daily in a move aimed at facilitating the general public.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. The committee reviewed multiple proposals submitted by various ministries seeking exemptions from existing austerity restrictions and finalized its recommendations accordingly.
According to officials, Pakistan has also decided to extend the applicability period of certain austerity measures, previously set to expire on 13th June, until 30th June to ensure continued fiscal discipline and controlled government spending.
In another facilitation step, Pakistan has approved the continuation of Consular Attestation services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its liaison offices in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Gujrat, and Lahore, which will now also remain open on Fridays to assist citizens.
The committee further highlighted that these measures are part of a broader austerity and resource management strategy aimed at improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary expenditure across government departments.
Separately, the Senate of Pakistan has returned Rs1.436 billion to the national exchequer after implementing a comprehensive austerity and expenditure rationalisation drive.
According to an official statement, the savings exceeded the target set by the Finance Division by 500 percent, accounting for 15.9 percent of the Senate’s total budget for the fiscal year 2025–26. The reforms were initiated from the Chairman’s office and later extended across the Senate Secretariat, introducing strict financial controls and efficiency measures.
