- Pharmacies, hospitals, medical stores exempt from restrictions.
- Petrol pumps and CNG stations to continue normal operations.
- Restaurants, eateries and tandoors close before
As part of energy conservation measures in the wake of US-Iran conflict-driven fuel price hikes and supply restrictions, the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration on Monday announced revised business hours across the city, requiring markets and malls to close at 6 p.m.
According to the notification, which came into effect on June 1, 2026, the closing time applies to all major markets and malls in Islamabad. However, essential services are exempt from the restrictions.
As per the new order, pharmacies, hospitals and medical shops will continue to function without any change in their timings and petrol pumps and CNG stations will also remain open as routine.
Restaurants, food shops and tandoors have been instructed to close at 22.00, with the same deadline set for convenience stores, bakeries and fruit and vegetable shops as per the latest notification.
Wedding halls, lawns and marquees have also been brought under the new schedule and will not be allowed to operate after the deadline of 5 p.m.
Officials say the move is part of a broader effort to reduce energy use and streamline commercial activity during peak hours.
The latest announcement follows a series of gradual relaxations and adjustments to working hours across the country in recent weeks as federal and provincial authorities sought to balance economic activity with energy-saving goals.
Earlier in May, the federal government had temporarily relaxed closing restrictions on commercial centers nationwide, allowing extended opening hours for markets, malls, restaurants and other businesses.
The move was later mirrored by provincial governments before fresh curbs were reintroduced in some areas, including Islamabad, under revised conservation plans linked to rising fuel costs and wider energy management efforts.
Most of the country’s electricity is produced using imported fossil fuels, including liquefied natural gas, whose prices have skyrocketed in recent months amid a fierce military conflict in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main route for crude oil in the region.
