The Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have rejected the federal government’s decision to close shops at 8:30 pm saying that they were not taken into confidence before the decision.
The federal government had announced the closure of marriage halls and markets at 8:30 pm across the country under the Energy Saving Program.
After the traders, the Punjab government also rejected the federal government’s decision.
In this regard Punjab senior Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that the decision of the federal government was not acceptable to the Punjab government. He said that the Punjab government will decide whether to close the shops at 8 pm or not.
He said that the provincial government will not accept any hasty decision as the federal government did not consult the provinces before taking this decision. He said that they will talk to all the stakeholders and representatives of the chamber and after discussion and the matter will be taken to the cabinet as well.
Mian Aslam Iqbal said that such decisions will put a burden on the people and as a result unemployment will increase. He claimed that the federal government was going to increase the cost of electricity to Rs80 per unit but it should reduce its lavish expenditure instead of burdening the people.
On the other hand, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has also not issued orders to implement the federal decision after Energy Saving Program.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that energy saving was the policy of the federal government and no formal consultation was held with the provincial government on the policy.
