HP Newsroom

At a high-level press talk held at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry on April 27, 2026; convened upon the request of the Lahore Restaurant Association; President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol raised serious concerns over the declining tax revenues linked to restricted restaurant operating hours. The session was attended by key LRA representatives, including Chairman Kamran Sheikh, President Nisar Chaudhry, and Secretary General Ahmad Shafiq and  other executive members.

He noted that the current 10PM closure policy is compressing business volumes, thereby directly impacting sales tax generation and overall economic activity. He emphasized that the hospitality sector is a significant contributor to the provincial economy and cannot sustain repeated operational curbs.

He strongly recommended revising restaurant timings to 11PM on weekdays and 12 midnight on weekends, stating that such a move would not only revive business confidence but also enhance government revenue collection in a sustainable manner.