March 18 holiday proposed, Eid break could be 7 days if approved

A proposal has been made to declare March 18 a public holiday alongside the previously announced holidays for the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Fitr. The proposal will be presented at the cabinet meeting on Thursday. If approved, the total Eid holiday period will effectively be seven days.

Subject to the sighting of the moon, Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to fall on March 21. Based on this probable date, the Ministry of Public Administration had already determined a five-day holiday schedule. Accordingly, the holidays are set from March 19 to March 23.

Among these, March 21 is the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, a general holiday. Additionally, March 19 and 20 before Eid, and March 22 and 23 after Eid, have been declared holidays by executive order.

Now, if March 18 is declared a holiday before Eid, there will effectively be four days of holiday before Eid. This is because March 17 is already scheduled as a holiday for the holy Shab-e-Qadr. Combined with Eid day and the two days after, the total Eid holiday period would be seven days.

A source at the Ministry of Public Administration has confirmed the proposal for the March 18 holiday to media. The source stated that a decision on this matter may be taken at tomorrow's cabinet meeting.

The proposal for a holiday before Eid has been made considering that a holiday after Eid would coincide with Independence Day on March 26 and then Friday and Saturday, resulting in an excessively long break. Although the matter has not been finalised yet, the holiday may be extended considering public convenience.