Govt announces two-day public holiday for Ashura

ISLAMABAD: The government has announced a two-day public holiday to mark Ashura, according to an official notification issued by the Cabinet Division.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the holidays for the 9th and 10th of Muharram, which will fall on Thursday, June 25, and Friday, June 26.

The public holiday will apply across all public and private sector offices, including institutions that observe either a five-day or a six-day work week.

Ashura is observed with solemnity across Pakistan to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Holy Prophet Muhammad.

The federal and provincial governments traditionally implement stringent security protocols, including suspending mobile phone networks in sensitive areas and deploying paramilitary forces to secure mourning processions during the two-day period.