New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) A prominent Pakistani traders’ union has warned of nationwide protests if the government reimposes its decision to close markets early, calling on authorities to put an end to lockdowns aimed at conserving energy amid soaring fuel prices triggered by the Middle East conflict, a report has said.

The report by Arab News highlighted that as part of its plan to reduce the consumption of costly imported fuels, the Pakistani government in April issued orders for shops, markets and shopping malls to close by 8 pm, while restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores and wedding halls were directed to shut down by 10 pm.

Earlier in May, the government announced it was easing market restrictions till May 31 in light of the Eid al-Adha festival.

The austerity measures were imposed after the US-Iran war drove up fuel prices.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a key passageway through which roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas supplies transit — remains mostly closed for ships, leading to a shortfall in petroleum products.

“With the end of the Iran-US war, there is no longer any justification for lockdowns,” Kashif Chaudhry, president of the Central Association of Traders in Pakistan, a prominent traders’ union, said in a statement.

“If a lockdown is imposed after June 1, we will relaunch a nationwide protest movement.”

Traders have demanded an end to the restrictions on early market closures, complaining that such lockdown measures have hurt their earnings.

Chaudhry demanded that the prime minister issue a notification announcing the permanent lifting of restrictions on June 1.

He urged traders across the country to prepare to keep their businesses open after June 1.

“During the intense summer season, business activity begins after 7 pm,” he said. “Forcing shops to close at 8 pm is equivalent to destroying businesses.”

He said the increase in petroleum prices has hurt consumers’ purchasing power, noting that traders and the general public pay high power tariffs.

“High fuel and electricity prices, along with inflation, have eroded the purchasing power of 120 million people,” Chaudhry said.

Pakistan’s government has said that the restrictions were aimed at reducing energy consumption, controlling electricity production costs, and safeguarding lower-income segments of the population from higher fuel prices in Pakistan, which imports most of its energy needs.

–IANS

ag/