ISLAMABAD
\nDefence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested taking advantage of \u201c365 days of sunshine\u201d and operate markets in the daytime as opposed to the convention of \u201copening markets at 1pm and closing them at 1am\u201d, as policymakers seek solutions to conserve energy amid an acute crises.
\n\u201cOur markets open at 1pm and close at 1am. This practice is found nowhere in the world,\u201d Asif tweeted late Saturday night. \u201cGod has given our country 365 days of sunshine and yet we turn on the lights in the dark to do business.\u201d
\nIf markets set the right business hours then (with Karachi excluded) 3,500MW of electricity can be saved.
\n\u201cTough circumstances call for tough decisions,\u201d he added.
\nHis suggestion came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a marathon five-hour meeting to come up with an \u201cemergency plan\u201d aimed at reducing power cuts that have roiled the country amid reported shortfalls of 7,000MW.
\nIn the meeting yesterday, PM Shehbaz dire\u00accted relevant authorities to come up with a plan to curtail loadshedding within 24 hours.
\nThe meeting was called to discuss the issue of loadshedding in the country and problems being faced by citizens in general and the business community in particular. Federal ministers and high level officials were in attendance.
\nThe meeting took place amid reports about hours-long loadshedding in various parts of the country, leaving the people to suffer in high temperatures.
\n\u201cThe premier has sought an emergency plan from the authorities concerned within 24 hours regarding reduction in electricity loadshedding,\u201d Information Minister Marriyum Aurang\u00aczeb said in a statement issued after the meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested taking advantage of \u201c365 days of sunshine\u201d and operate markets in the daytime as opposed to the convention of \u201copening markets at 1pm and closing them at 1am\u201d, as policymakers seek solutions to conserve energy amid an acute crises. \u201cOur markets open at 1pm and close at 1am. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":238154,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[416,211,2867,1695],"class_list":{"0":"post-264783","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-energy","10":"tag-khawaja-asif","11":"tag-market"},"yoast_head":"\n