Govt releases public holiday schedule for 2025

The government has issued a notification listing the gazetted holidays for the upcoming year, 2025. These holidays include those commemorating significant events for both Muslims and other minority communities.

According to the calendar, there will be a total of 40 holidays in 2025, comprising 17 gazetted holidays and 23 optional holidays.

The first holiday of the year will be observed on February 5 in solidarity with Kashmir, followed by Pakistan Day on March 23.

Government employees and schools will enjoy two holidays in May: May 1 for Labour Day and May 28 for Youm-e-Takbeer, which marks the day Pakistan became a nuclear power with the detonation of an atomic bomb at Chaghi.

The notification stated that there will be three holidays for Eid-ul-Fitr, scheduled for March 30, 31, and April 1, 2025. Similarly, Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated with three holidays from June 7 to June 9, 2025.

In addition, Muharram 9 and 10 will be observed on July 5 and 6, 2025, respectively, while Independence Day will be celebrated on August 14, 2025. The holiday for Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) is set for either September 5 or 6, 2025.

The notification also stated that November 9, 2025, will be observed as Iqbal Day, December 25, 2025, will be Quaid-e-Azam Day and Christmas, and December 26, 2025, will serve as a post-Christmas holiday for Christian employees.

The Islamic holidays for 2025 have been tentatively fixed according to expected dates; a separate notification will be issued based on the moon sighting.

Additionally, banks will be closed on January 1, March 1, and July 1, 2025.

The notification further specifies that Muslim government employees are entitled to only one optional leave per year, while non-Muslim government employees can take up to three optional leaves per year.