Govt declares November 9 public holiday for Iqbal Day

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has declared Monday, November 9, a public holiday across Pakistan to mark the birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the country’s national poet.

The Cabinet Division has issued a notification confirming the holiday under the government’s public holidays schedule for 2026.

All government and private institutions will remain closed on the occasion, according to a press release issued by the Cabinet Division.

The State Bank of Pakistan has also confirmed that it will remain closed on November 9 on account of Allama Iqbal Day.

Iqbal Day is observed annually on November 9 to commemorate the birth of the poet and philosopher, who was born in Sialkot on November 9, 1877.

Iqbal is remembered for his poetry and philosophical thought, as well as his role in shaping the political consciousness of Muslims in the Subcontinent.

In his 1930 address at the All-India Muslim League session, he emphasised the need to secure political rights for Muslims, a contribution later recognised as part of the intellectual foundations of Pakistan.