KARACHI: The government’s market closures by 8:00-9:00pm have led to a 25-30 per cent drop in formal retail sales across 35,000 outlets, a weekly Rs100 billion decline in recorded economic activity, reduced workforce income, second-shift layoffs, and a risk to 13,000 point-of-sale-integrated businesses. By shortening market operating hours, the government sought to decrease energy use, promote earlier shopping to shift demand, reduce peak electricity loads, and encourage early daily routines ...