Are Pakistanis going to get 9 holidays for EidUl Adha this year?

KARACHI: Government employees in Pakistan will be likely to enjoy nine long days of Eidul-Adha this year, as public institutions will remain closed from July 17 to 25 across the country.

Report of Daily Jang cited that holidays for EidUl Adha [the Islamic festival that involves animal sacrifice, prayers, and family gatherings] in Pakistan are expected to start from July 17. Most of the public sector employees observe Saturday and Sunday as weekly holidays while the Hajj holiday would be on July 20 [Tuesday].

The Eidul Adha holidays will be observed then on July 21, 22, and 23. The total days off will amount to nine as the July 24 and 25 will be the next weekend and offices are expected to reopen on the 10^th day [July 25].

It is also worth noting that, no official announcement has been made by the government about the public holidays but as the latter of the two Eids fall on mid of the week beside a surge in Covid cases, so reports in local media quoting sources said that public sector employees will be able to enjoy nine days of holidays.

Meanwhile, the Zilhaj moon has not been sighted in Pakistan and Eidul Azha will be observed on July 21 [Wednesday], Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad announced today. The announcement was preceded by meetings of the moon-sighting committee in the Sindh capital and other zonal committees in all provincial capitals of the country.

#Live: Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Moulana Abdul Khabeer Azad holding a press conference in Karachi https://t.co/5j9hRRUxtX

— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) July 10, 2021

Moon-sighting testimonies were not received today from any part of the country, so the first day of Zilhaj would fall on Monday.

Earlier, the South Asian country has declared a 10-day partial lockdown ahead of the Eidul Fitr including no travel and tourism in a bid to prevent a surge in Covid cases.