Pakistan orders early closure of malls and markets under energy saving plan

Pakistan’s government has announced on January 3, 2023 that all malls and markets will be closed by 8:30pm under a new energy conservation plan. The defence minister said the measures are aimed at saving the country, now grappling with an economic crisis, about 62 billion Pakistani rupees (US$274 million), as global energy prices skyrocket. But some businesses are refusing to comply, saying the plan would hurt their earnings.