Pakistan Approves Major Change to Standard Time After 83 Years

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to make a significant change to its standard time after 83 years. According to media reports, Parliament has approved an amendment to the law governing Pakistan Standard Time, removing the wording from the 1943 law that defined the country’s time as five and a half hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Under the amendment, Pakistan Standard Time will officially be recorded as five hours ahead of GMT, reducing the stated time difference between Pakistan and GMT by 30 minutes.

The amendment to the law, which has been in effect since 1943, will come into force after approval by the President. The National Assembly passed the bill on May 11, while the Senate approved it on August 18.

Following presidential approval, Pakistan’s standard time will be officially recorded as GMT+5 instead of GMT+5:30.