CAP urges govt to review restrictions on retail operating hours

The Chainstore Association of Pakistan has asked the government to quickly review limits on retail trading hours, saying more than five months of shortened trading has hurt sales, tax collection and jobs. According to Business Recorder, the curbs date from 7 April and have pushed shop closing times earlier during what are usually the busiest hours of the day.

CAP wants shops and malls across Punjab and Islamabad to keep trading until 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday nights, with restaurants staying open even later. Citing FBR data, the association estimated that the restrictions are holding back Rs45 billion to Rs75 billion of documented retail activity each week, and could cost the exchequer up to Rs10 billion weekly in unpaid taxes. Officials had previously acknowledged comparable revenue losses during an earlier nationwide closure at 8:00 PM.

The association also flagged an imbalance in malls, where eateries can trade until 11:00 PM while stores must close at 9:00 PM. It noted that hubs in Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta keep trading later, and called for a clear cost-benefit assessment of existing curbs.