Austerity • Pakistan
The Government Has Ordered Markets to Close at 9 PM, Marriage Halls at 10 PM, and Restaurants at 11 PM. Government Vehicles Get Half Their Fuel. Here Is the Full List of New Austerity Measures
18 September 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a nationwide austerity and energy conservation campaign in response to rising global petroleum prices driven by the Middle East conflict. The new rules, notified by the Cabinet Division on 17 September, will apply for three months and change what every Pakistani experiences in daily life. From this week, all shops, markets, shopping malls and bazaars across Pakistan must close by 9 PM, all marriage halls and event marquees must close by 10 PM, and all restaurants, cafes, food outlets and standalone fruit and vegetable shops must close by 11 PM. Government vehicles get half their fuel allocation for three months. New vehicle purchases for the government are banned outright. Foreign travel by government officials is suspended for three months. The single-dish policy at weddings continues.
What closes at what time
The new closing-time rules, in force across all federal territories from the date of notification, are:
- 9 PM: Shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery stores, general stores, kiryana stores.
- 10 PM: Marriage halls, marquees, and all other commercial places where festive events are held.
- 11 PM: Restaurants, cafes, eateries, food outlets, and standalone fruit and vegetable shops.
Takeaway and home delivery from restaurants are exempt from the 11 PM closing rule. The exemption applies to all hours of operation, so a restaurant can continue to accept delivery orders past 11 PM as long as dine-in customers are not present after the cutoff.
What is exempt
The following are exempt from the closing-time restrictions and can continue to operate 24 hours a day:
- Pharmacies, medical stores, medical supply stores.
- Medical laboratories, clinics, hospitals.
- Standalone bakeries, standalone tandoors, standalone milk and dairy shops.
- Fuel stations, CNG pumps, electric vehicle charging stations.
- Gyms, sports facilities, sports and padel courts.
- Information technology companies and call centres.
The exemption for fuel stations and EV charging stations is the most consequential, because it preserves the practical operation of the transport network. The exemption for pharmacies and hospitals is standard. The exemption for IT companies and call centres is unusual and reflects the federal government’s intention to preserve the night-shift operations that are critical to the country’s IT services exports.
The single-dish rule at weddings
The Cabinet Division has confirmed that the single-dish policy at marriage-related functions continues. The rule, which was first introduced as part of the federal government’s austerity drive in the early part of fiscal year 2026-27, requires that only one dish be served at any wedding or related event. The rule has no direct implication for the public purse, but is part of the broader federal effort to set a tone of restraint.
The single-dish rule applies to functions held at marriage halls, marquees, and other commercial venues. It does not apply to functions held at private residences, where the choice of menu remains at the discretion of the host. The federal government has directed provincial governments to consider similar measures, but the federal rule itself applies only to functions at commercial venues in federal territories.
What changes for government
The new austerity measures apply to the federal government, its attached departments, state-owned enterprises, statutory bodies, and regulatory authorities. The provincial governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to take their own decisions. The federal measures are:
- 50% fuel cut for official vehicles for three months. Ambulances, fire brigades, law enforcement agencies, armed forces, civil armed forces, essential services, and Federal Board of Revenue vehicles are exempt. Administrative and non-operational vehicles receive no exemption. Development projects are also exempt, which could create a window for misuse by ministries and divisions that classify their vehicles as development-related.
- 5% cut in the non-ERE (non-Employees Related Expenses) budget for FY 2026-27. The cut will be applied monthly. It also applies to foreign missions and officers posted in those missions. Rents, educational fees, and medical care arrangements will not be cut. Development projects are exempt.
- Complete ban on the purchase of new vehicles by the government. The ban covers all vehicle types and includes a separate ban on the purchase of durable goods, with the exception of IT-related equipment and services.
- Three-month ban on foreign travel by government officials. The ban covers all foreign visits, including obligatory visits. Exemptions apply to scholarships offered by international development partners, training and courses arranged through the Economic Affairs Division, and travel under institutional agreements of the Government of Pakistan. For unavoidable visits, all cabinet members and government officials are required to travel in economy class. Pakistan ambassadors or commissioners will represent the nation at mandatory events during the three-month period.
- Teleconferencing instead of in-person meetings. Official meetings should preferably be held through teleconferencing, except for intra-city meetings. No official dinners shall be hosted, except in the case of visiting foreign delegations.
- No government-funded seminars, trainings, or conferences. Where unavoidable events are held, government venues (auditoriums, committee rooms) must be used.
What this means for households
For most Pakistani households, the most visible change is the 9 PM closing time for shops, markets, malls, and bazaars. Shoppers who are used to evening shopping after iftar-style hours, or who work daytime hours and depend on the post-work window to shop, will need to adjust their schedules. The change is uniform across the country, with no variation between cities.
For restaurants, cafes, and food outlets, the 11 PM closing time is a meaningful constraint on the late-evening dining market. Takeaway and delivery operations are exempt, so the dine-in business is the affected segment. Restaurant operators will need to plan their staffing and inventory for the 11 PM cutoff.
For wedding-related businesses (marriage halls, marquees, caterers, event managers), the 10 PM closing time combined with the single-dish rule is a meaningful constraint on the typical wedding schedule, which often runs past midnight. Wedding bookings that previously went past 10 PM will need to be restructured to start earlier or be held at private residences, where the single-dish rule does not apply.
What this means for the fuel market
The 50% fuel cut for official vehicles is the most direct fuel-conservation measure. Government vehicles include the official cars of federal ministers, secretaries, attached department staff, and the wider federal workforce. The cut will reduce total fuel demand from the government segment by an estimated 15-20 per cent, depending on the actual compliance rate.
The reduction in government fuel demand is small in the context of total Pakistani fuel demand of roughly 9-10 million tonnes per year, but the symbolic signal is significant. The federal government has framed the measures as a signal to households and businesses that everyone should conserve fuel. The 9 PM closing rule for markets is intended to reduce commercial fuel use for lighting, transport, and cooling. The 10 PM and 11 PM rules extend the same logic to the events and hospitality sector.
The combined effect of the federal measures and the existing Rs 100 per litre subsidy is to reduce fuel demand in two ways: the subsidy makes petrol cheaper for vulnerable households (and so somewhat reduces the price effect on demand), while the austerity measures reduce fuel demand through administrative action. The net effect is a modest reduction in total fuel demand growth.
What happens next
The federal measures are in force from the date of notification (17 September 2026) for a period of three months, unless extended or modified. The provincial governments are expected to take their own decisions on similar measures. Punjab and Sindh, the two largest provinces, are widely expected to follow the federal lead, with potential variations in the specific rules.
The Cabinet Division has set up a Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures to review exemptions and compliance. The committee will submit recommendations to the Prime Minister for approval. Requests for exemption from any of the measures may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
For households and businesses, the practical guidance is to plan around the new closing times and to expect the measures to remain in force for the three-month window. If the global crude price moves back below $90 a barrel, the measures may be relaxed. If the price stays above $100, the measures are likely to remain in place for the full three months and possibly beyond.
The bottom line
Prime Minister Shehbaz has approved a nationwide austerity and energy conservation campaign. From this week, all shops, markets, malls and bazaars must close by 9 PM, marriage halls by 10 PM, and restaurants by 11 PM. Pharmacies, hospitals, fuel stations, IT firms and a small set of other businesses are exempt. Government vehicles get half their fuel for three months. New government vehicle purchases are banned. Foreign travel by government officials is suspended. The single-dish policy at weddings continues. The measures are in force for three months from 17 September 2026.
What people are asking
What time do shops and markets close now?
All shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery stores, general stores and kiryana stores must close by 9 PM. The rule applies across all federal territories from the date of notification (17 September 2026). It will remain in force for three months.
What time do marriage halls close now?
Marriage halls, marquees and all other commercial venues where festive events are held must close by 10 PM. Events held at private residences are not affected.
What time do restaurants close now?
Restaurants, cafes, eateries, food outlets and standalone fruit and vegetable shops must close by 11 PM. Takeaway and home delivery are exempt from this rule.
What businesses are exempt from the closing-time rules?
Pharmacies, medical stores, medical laboratories, clinics, hospitals, standalone bakeries, standalone tandoors, standalone milk and dairy shops, fuel stations, CNG pumps, electric vehicle charging stations, gyms, sports facilities, sports and padel courts, IT companies and call centres. These can continue to operate 24 hours a day.
Is the single-dish rule still in effect at weddings?
Yes. The single-dish rule at marriage-related functions continues. The rule applies to functions held at marriage halls, marquees, and other commercial venues. It does not apply to functions held at private residences.
What is the fuel cut for government vehicles?
Official government vehicles get half their fuel allocation for three months. Ambulances, fire brigades, law enforcement agencies, armed forces, civil armed forces, essential services and Federal Board of Revenue vehicles are exempt. Administrative and non-operational vehicles receive no exemption. Development projects are also exempt.
Can the government still buy new vehicles?
No. There is a complete ban on the purchase of new vehicles by the federal government for three months. There is also a ban on the purchase of durable goods, with the exception of IT-related equipment and services.
How long do the measures last?
The federal measures are in force from 17 September 2026 for a period of three months. They may be extended or modified depending on the global crude oil price.
Do the measures apply to provinces?
The federal measures apply to the federal government, its attached departments, state-owned enterprises, statutory bodies and regulatory authorities. The provincial governments are expected to take their own decisions on similar measures.
