Shops to close at 8pm, marriage halls 10pm and restaurants 11pm

ISAMABAD: The federal government has decided to close all shops and shopping centers at 8pm in the federal capital and the Punjab. Also, restaurants can work till 11pm and marriage functions will be culminated at marriage halls by 10pm.
No time limit has been specified for opening the businesses. Governments of other provinces are also being contacted to enforce same restrictions for the sake of conservation of energy. It has also been decided that production of efficient electrical appliances would be encouraged including fans, florescent lamps, air conditioners, motors, refrigerators, washing machines and uninterrupted power supply (UPS). The exercise will help in saving thousands of megawatts of electricity.
The decisions have been taken in 12th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE) at the PM House Wednesday. The committee was formed in January this year. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who chaired the meeting directed the ministers in the CCE to hold meetings with provincial chief ministers to brief them regarding the need and urgency of conservation measures, including early closure of shops, marriage halls and restaurants. The meeting lasted about three hours and it reviewed progress on the decisions of the previous meeting of CCE held on March 12.
The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Ministers Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal; Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Advisor to PM for National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz; Ministers of State Abid Sher Ali, Jam Kamal Khan; Special Assistants to PM (SAPMs) Syed Tariq Fatemi; Musaddik Malik, former senior Punjab minister Rana Sanaullah; Secretary to PM Javed Aslam, Additional Secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad, Secretary Water and Power Younus Dagha; Secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood; Secretary Petroleum Arshad Mirza; Secretary Information Muhammad Azam, Dr Amjad Saqib, Press Secretary to PM Syed Danial Gilani and other senior government officials.
The prime minister directed the Ministry of Water and Power to ensure that LNG-based projects are completed within the prescribed timelines. He was informed that one LNG terminal has been set up while the second one would be ready next month. Both the plants have investment from Pakistani companies worth $ 1 billion. He was also updated on the planned 1100-km North-South Gas Pipeline which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2017.
Nawaz reiterated that the timelines decided in the last meeting of the CCE for completion of the open and combined cycle plants of projects for generation of 3600 MW must be strictly followed. He asked secretary water and power to personally supervise all the projects being planned under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on daily basis to determine appropriate deliverables for the agreed energy projects during the upcoming high-level visit of Chinese leadership. He also asked the Ministry of Water and Power to take steps for creating awareness among the general public regarding conservation of electricity.
The meeting gave approval of energy audit and energy conservation awareness in industries to save their bills as well as consumption of electricity. The prime minister directed that issue of payment between ministry of Water and Power and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) be resolved and a comprehensive strategy be devised by the Ministries of Water and Power and Petroleum and Natural Resources in consultation with the Ministry of Finance in this regard.
Rana Sanaullah attended the CCE meeting for the first time. It indicated that he is being brought in the fold of the government in some capacity soon either on provincial level or with the federal government.