ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Tuesday announced a three-day public holiday from June 17-19 for the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha, an official notification from the Cabinet Division said.
Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar. The other, Eid Al-Fitr, occurs at the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. Muslims mark the Eid Al-Adha holiday by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats. The meat is shared among family and friends and donated to the poor.
Pakistan’s central moonsighting committee said last Friday that Eid Al-Adha will be celebrated across the country on June 17 after announcing that Dhu Al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, would commence from June 8
“It is for general information that the prime minister has been pleased to declare June 17-19 (Monday to Wednesday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha,” the notification said.
In Pakistan, the country’s central moon sighting body, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, spots the moon and declares the Eid dates in advance.
Pakistan has already sent over 98,000 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and the rest of its people aspiring to undertake their spiritual journey will arrive in the kingdom in the coming days.
