ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has announced a six-day holiday period between May 22 to May 27 on account of Eid Al-Fitr, according to a statement released by the country’s interior ministry on Saturday.
During the holiday period, which will extend from Friday to Wednesday, all businesses, public spaces, community markets and shops have been directed to remain closed amid the coronavirus outbreak-- with some outlets selling essential items and medicines permitted to open, according to the statement.
In May last year, Pakistan’s minister for science and technology, Fawad Chaudhry, launched what he termed was Pakistan’s first official moon-sighting website and calendar which displays prominent Islamic events in the country over five years based on scientific evidence.
The ministry’s website marks Eid Al-Fitr in the country falling on Sunday, May 24 this year.
However, the national Ruet-e-Hilal committee is scheduled to meet on May 23 in Karachi for the Shawwal moon sighting as is tradition, according to the ministry of religious affairs.
Pakistan, which has been facing a surge in rates of coronavirus, began easing pandemic-related lockdowns last week with over 41,000 confirmed cases and 895 fatalities reported on Sunday. Public transportation has been opened up in some provinces amid the arrival of Eid, when traditionally, people return to their hometowns and visit relatives and friends.
Pakistan announces six day holidays for Eid Al-Fitr
https://arab.news/gvxqm
Pakistan announces six day holidays for Eid Al-Fitr
- Pakistan’s official moon-sighting website says Eid will fall on Sunday, May 24
- Due to coronavirus, all but essential businesses and shops to remain closed during holiday period
Security forces kill four militants in Pakistan’s volatile southwest, military says
- Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land area bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has long been the site of a low-level insurgency
- The Balochistan government has recently established a threat assessment center to strengthen early warning, prevent ‘terrorism’ incidents
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces gunned down four militants in an intelligence-based operation in the southwestern Balochistan province, the military said on Tuesday.
The operation was conducted in Balochistan’s Kalat district on reports about the presence of militants, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
The “Indian-sponsored militants” were killed in an exchange of fire during the operation, while weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the deceased, who remained actively involved in numerous militant activities.
“Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorist found in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement.
There was no immediate response from New Delhi to the statement.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land area bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has long been the site of a low-level insurgency involving Baloch separatist groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF).
Pakistan accuses India of supporting these separatist militant groups and describes them as “Fitna Al-Hindustan.” New Delhi denies the allegation.
The government in Balochistan has also established a state-of-the-art threat assessment center to strengthen early warning and prevention against “terrorism” incidents, a senior official said this week.
“Information that was once scattered is now shared and acted upon in time, allowing the state to move from reacting after incidents to preventing them before they occur,” Balochistan Additional Chief Secretary Hamza Shafqaat wrote on X.
The development follows a steep rise in militancy-related deaths in Pakistan in 2025. According to statistics released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) last month, combat-related deaths in 2025 rose 73 percent to 3,387.
These included 2,115 militants, 664 security forces personnel, 580 civilians and 28 members of pro-government peace committees, the think tank said.
