KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Hours after the federal government came up with its fresh energy conservation plan, traders and restaurant owners rejected the measures announced, terming the policy “counterproductive rather than being productive”.

Condemning the restrictions — which are to be imposed by the Centre after consultations with the provinces — President All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran President Ajmal Baloch Tuesday urged the government to immediately withdraw its decision to close markets and restaurants at 8pm.

Under its National Energy Conservation Plan the government decided that the timing of wedding halls would be limited to 10pm, while restaurants, hotels, and markets would closed by 8pm. 

However, it was learnt that there may be some room for the closing time for restaurants to be extended by an hour. “The government, before defaulting the country, will bankrupt all traders,” he said, adding that traders purchase the most expensive electricity from 6pm to 8pm. Warning the government of protests across the country, Baloch said: “The coalition government has wreaked havoc on the economy of Pakistan.”