Public holidays in Pakistan

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Pakistan holidays are celebrated according to the Islamic or local Pakistani calendars for religious and civil purposes, respectively. Religious holidays such as Eid are celebrated according to the Islamic calendar whereas other national holidays such as International Workers' Day, [1] Pakistan Day, and Quaid-i-Azam Day are celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar.

Contents

Non-religious state holidays

DateEnglish NameLocal NameNotes
5 February Kashmir Solidarity Day یوم یکجحتی کشمیر

Yōum-e-Yakjehtī Kashmīr

Observed to show Pakistan's support and unity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
23 March Pakistan Day یوم پاکستان

Yōum-e-Pākistān

Commemorates the Lahore Resolution, which formally demanded an independent Muslim-majority state to be created out of British India. The republic was also declared on this day in 1956.
1 May Labour Day یوم مزدور

Yōum-e-Mazdoor

Celebrates the achievements of Labour.
14 August Independence Day یومِ آزادی

Yōum-e-Azādī

Marking Pakistani independence and the formation of Pakistan in 1947.
9 November Iqbal Day یومِ اقبال

Yōum-e-Iqbāl

Birthday of Muhammad Iqbal, National Poet of Pakistan.
25 December Quaid-e-Azam Day یوم قائداعظم

Yōum-e-Quaid-e-Āzam

Birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.

Religious state holidays

DateEnglish NameLocal NameNotes
Dhu al-Hijjah 10th-12th Eid-ul-Adha عید الاضحٰی Marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage; sacrifices offered on this day commemorate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son
Shawwal 1st-3rd Eid-ul-Fitr عيد الفطرMarks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan
Rabiʽ al-Awwal 12 Eid Milad-un-Nabi میلاد النبیBirthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muharram 9th-10th Ashura عاشوراء/یوم کربلاKarbala Day for Shias to the mourn for the martyred Imam Hussein ibn Ali, Grandson of Muhammad

Optional holidays

The Gregorian dates are according to the year 2025.

DateEnglish NameLocal NameNotes
1 January New Year's Day نئے سال کا دن
Nayē Sāl kā Din
Commemorates the first day of the Gregorian calendar
Rajab 27th (27 January) Isra' and Mi'raj شب معراج
Shab-e-Merāj
Observes the night journey of Prophet Muhammad to Al-Aqsa and the heaven
Magha 5th (2 February) Basant Panchami بسنت پنچمی
Basant Panchamī
Marks the start of spring and also honours the Hindu goddess Saraswati
Shaban 14th–15th (13–14 February) Shab-e-Barat شب برات
Shab-e-Barāt
Night of forgiveness for the Sunnis
Phalguna 14th (26 February) Maha Shivaratri مہا شیوراتری
Mahāshivarātri
Honours the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati
First full moon of Phalguna (14 March) Holi ہولی
Holī
Celebrates the love between the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna
Farvardin 1st (20 March) Nowruz نوروز
Naurōz
Persian New Year
Farvardin 7th (26 March) Khordad Sal خرداد سال
Khordād Sāl
Commemorates the birthday of Zarathushtra Spitama in Zoroastrianism
Vaisakh 1st (14 April) Vaisakhi ویساکھی
Vaisākhī
Celebrates the spring harvest in Punjab
18 April Good Friday شام کلوری
Shām-e-Calvary
Observes the crucifixion of Jesus in Christianity
20 April Easter عیدالفصح
Eīd-ul-Fisah
Commemorates the resurrection of Jesus in Christianity
Jalál 13th (20 April) Ridván عید رضوان
Eīd-e-Rizwān
Commemorates Baháʼu'lláh's declaration as a Manifestation of God in Baháʼí Faith
First full moon of Vaisakha (5 May) Buddha's Birthday بدھ کا جنم دن
Buddhā kā Janam Din
Commemorates the birthday of Siddhartha Gautama
28 May Nuclear Day یوم تکبیر

Yōum-e-Takbīr

Commemorates the Chagai-I and Chagai-II series of nuclear tests.
Safar 20th (15 August) Arba'in چہلم
Chehlum
Marks forty days after Ashura
Bhadra 8th (16 August) Krishna Janmashtami کرشنا جنم اشٹمی
Krishnā Janmashṭamī
Commemorates the birthday of Hindu diety Krishna
Rabi' al-Thani 11th (4 September) Gyarvi Sharif گیاروی شریف
Gyārvī Sharīf
Commemorates the gratuity and generosity of the Sufi scholar Abdul Qadir Gilani on the 11th of every month
Ashvina 6th–10th (28 September–2 October) Durga Puja درگا پوجا
Durgā Pūjā
Celebrated because of Hindu diety Durga's victory over Mahishasura
Ashvina 10th (2 October) Vijayadashami دسہرہ
Dussehra
Marks the end of Durga Puja
Ashvina 14th (6 October) Diwali دیوالی
Dīwālī
Symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance" in Hinduism
Ashvina 15th (7 October) Guru Valmiki's Birthday گرو والمیکی کا جنم دن
Gūrū Vālmikī kā Janam Din
Commemorates the birthday of the legendary poet Valmiki
First full moon of Kattak (5 November) Guru Nanak Gurpurab گرو نانک گروپورب
Gūrū Nānak Gurpūrab
Commemorates the birthday of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak

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References

  1. "Photos: Countries worldwide mark International Labour Day". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 30 September 2022.

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