KARACHI, June 8: Amid persisting power crisis in the city, the Sindh government has decided to implement the early business closure order with immediate effect, instead of June 15 as announced earlier this month.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad had presided over a high-level meeting on June 1 to discuss the crisis, that persists ever since the advent of current summer, and the ways and means to overcome the same.

The convening of the meeting was prompted by the May 30 power breakdown which kept most parts of the city without electricity for up to 19 hours. It was decided at the meeting that austerity measures be taken to conserve electricity amid the mounting requirement and the shortcomings in ensuring a smooth supply to all consumers.

As part of the strategy proposed at the meeting, it was decided that all shopping and commercial centres, non-essential outlets and establishments be asked to close business by dusk from June 15 till the situation improves.

However, a notification in this regard was issued on Thursday with the clause stating that it had come into effect ‘immediately’, making it clear that the concerns not exempted in the notification would have to close their business by 8pm from June 9, and not June 15.

The notification contains a long list of the commercial and non-commercial concerns exempted from the closure, giving to understand that a large number of commercial and industrial concerns, as well as the public sector consumers, would remain unaffected by the order.

According to the KESC spokesman, Sultan Hasan Khan, the enforcement of this measure would not help end loadshedding.

He estimated that the quantum of electricity conserved through the early closure of business at around 75 megawatts as against the actual shortfall during the peak hours of 200 megawatts.

He said that this shortfall could be managed only when the KESC consumers, over two million in number, kept off at least one bulb of 100 watts in regular use and followed the practice religiously until the crisis was over.

The notification, issued by the provincial Labour Transport and Industries Secretary, Nasar Hayat, has been issued under the West Pakistan Shops and Establishments Ordinance, 1969 and covers the local limits of Karachi, including the Defence Housing Authority areas.

Following is the list of the establishments, concerns and individuals exempted from the early closure: Offices of/under the federal and provincial governments; offices of/under Pakistan Railway Board, including Railway stations; office of/under any local authority, a trust, a corporation, or any other public statutory body not being run for profit/ gain or in the cause of its business does not make any profit/gain; shops or stalls at any public exhibition or show; shops or stalls at any public fair or bazaar held for religious or charitable purposes; clubs, hostels, and messes not maintained for profit/gain; establishments for the treatment or care of the sick, infirm, destitute or mentally unfit persons; stalls and refreshment rooms at railway stations, steamers and launch stations, docks, wharfs and airports, and on trains, steamer or aircraft; any person employed exclusively in connection with collection, dispatch, delivery and conveyance of, or custom agent canvasser, messenger, watchmen, caretaker or conservancy staff, or any person employed exclusively in connection with collection, dispatch, delivery and conveyance of, or custom formalities on goods, any shop or commercial establishments.

Besides, nothing in the clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 6 and in section (7) shall apply on clubs, hostels, and messes maintained for profit/gain, shops dealing solely in any vegetables, meat, fish and dairy products; bread, pastries, sweet meat and flowers, medicines, surgical appliances, bandages or any other medical requisition, articles required for funerals, burials or ceremonies; tobacco, cigars, cigarette, biri, pan, liquid, newspapers or periodicals, automobile service stations and petrol pumps (for retail sale of patrol), cinemas, theatres and other places of public entertainment.

The secretary labour has warned that violators of the order would be dealt with strictly under the law.