Advertise extended hours; lawyers are calling for the restoration of regular court schedules
RAWALPINDI:
The temporary relaxation given during Eidul Azha under the government’s energy conservation program ended on Sunday, prompting traders across the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to demand a permanent withdrawal of the directive requiring markets and shops to close at 6 p.m.
Representatives of major traders’ bodies announced that from Monday all markets and malls will resume normal opening hours and remain open until 22.00 or 23.00.
They warned that any attempt by the government to reinstate the early closure policy would be met with strong opposition and protests.
At the same time, officials of the High Court Bar and District Bar Associations, along with senior lawyers, renewed their demand for the abolition of Friday-Saturday court holidays, arguing that the policy has seriously disrupted the judicial system and caused significant delays in trials.
As part of measures introduced to deal with the energy crisis and reduce oil consumption, the government had earlier ordered commercial businesses to close at 20.00 and declared Friday, Saturday and Sunday public holidays for courts and various public institutions. The market closing policy at However, 8 pm was temporarily suspended until May 31 due to Eidul Azha, while the extended weekend holidays remained in effect.
After the expiry of the Eid concession, Central Anjuman-e-Tajran President Sharjeel Mir, Kiryana Merchants Association President Saleem Parvez Butt, Anjuman Tajran Cantonment President Sheikh Hafeez and Secretary Zafar Qadri called for complete cancellation of the early closure.
Traders’ leaders argued that regional tensions involving Iran, the US and Israel had eased and there was no justification for reintroducing restrictions on opening hours.
They maintained that increasing business activity and reduced fuel pressure had made the policy unnecessary, adding that early market closures had caused severe losses to traders and harmed commercial activity. They warned that any renewed attempt to enforce the measure would be strongly opposed.
Meanwhile, High Court Bar Association president Saeed Yousaf Khan, District Bar Association president Tariq Mahmood, senior advocate Sajid Awan and advocates Shan Zeb Khan and Masood Shah called for immediate withdrawal of the court’s Friday-Saturday closure policy.
They argued that three consecutive weekly holidays had effectively paralyzed the justice system, delayed hearings in important cases and made timely justice increasingly difficult.
The lawyers urged the authorities to issue a circular ordering all courts to remain operational on Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, in accordance with the normal schedule. After the five-day Eidul Azha holiday, wholesale markets, freight transport, government and private offices and sessions, civil, family, magistrate and special courts are set to reopen on Monday.
As a result, commercial, business, administrative and judicial activities throughout the city are expected to return to normal, restoring the usual bustle and economic activity.
