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The Sindh government has adjusted its Eidul Azha holiday schedule, settling on a three-day public holiday from May 26 to 28, with a work-from-home arrangement for May 29, according to a corrigendum issued on May 23. This follows an initial announcement of a four-day holiday that included Friday, which has since been corrected.

Coverage comparison

According to a report by Dawn, an initial notification from Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah declared May 26-29 as public holidays for all government offices, autonomous bodies, corporations, and local councils, except those involved in essential services or budget preparations for the 2026-27 financial year. However, a subsequent corrigendum, also issued by the chief secretary's office, revised the schedule to a three-day holiday, with the addition that May 29 would be observed as a work-from-home day.

The federal government had earlier announced a three-day public holiday from May 26 to 28, as confirmed by a Cabinet Division notification. The decision was made following the sighting of the Zilhaj moon, with testimonies received from Karachi, Mardan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and other areas, Dawn reported.

In contrast, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a four-day holiday from May 26 to 29, according to a notification issued on May 23.

Key Claims

  • The Sindh government initially announced a four-day Eidul Azha holiday from May 26 to 29, but later issued a corrigendum reducing it to a three-day holiday from May 26 to 28.
  • For May 29, offices in Sindh will observe work-from-home, according to the revised notification.
  • The federal government has announced a three-day public holiday from May 26 to 28.
  • The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced four Eid holidays from May 26 to 29.
  • Eidul Azha will be observed across Pakistan from May 27 to 29, with the first day of the festival expected on May 27, as per the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee's announcement.
  • Saudi Arabia is also set to mark the first day of Eidul Azha on May 27, as reported by a single outlet and not yet independently verified.

Perspectives

Eidul Azha, celebrated on the 10th of Zilhaj, marks the culmination of Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam. The festival is observed with special prayers and animal sacrifice across the Muslim world. The federal and provincial governments' decisions on public holidays are made in accordance with the Islamic calendar and moon sightings.

The federal government's announcement of a three-day holiday was made after the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee confirmed the sighting of the Zilhaj moon. The provincial governments of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while issuing their own notifications, have aligned their schedules with the federal government's decision, with slight variations in the number of days observed.

The Sindh government's initial decision to declare a four-day holiday was in line with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's announcement, but the subsequent correction brings the province in line with the federal government's three-day schedule, with May 29 being a work-from-home day for government employees.