Planning your year around the public holidays in Pakistan 2026? Whether you are scheduling annual leave, arranging travel, or simply want to know when banks and government offices will be closed, this complete list puts every national holiday in one place. Pakistan observes a blend of fixed national days and Islamic holidays that follow the lunar calendar, so a few dates below are marked as expected — they may shift by a day once the moon sighting is officially announced by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
All public holidays in Pakistan 2026
- Thursday, 5 February — Kashmir Day
- Saturday, 21 March — Eid-ul-Fitr (Day 1) — expected, subject to moon sighting
- Sunday, 22 March — Eid-ul-Fitr (Day 2) — expected, subject to moon sighting
- Monday, 23 March — Pakistan Day / Eid-ul-Fitr (Day 3)
- Friday, 1 May — Labour Day
- Wednesday, 27 May — Eid-ul-Azha (Day 1) — expected, subject to moon sighting
- Thursday, 28 May — Youm-e-Takbeer / Eid-ul-Azha (Day 2)
- Friday, 29 May — Eid-ul-Azha (Day 3) — expected, subject to moon sighting
- Wednesday, 24 June — Ashura, 9 Muharram — expected, subject to moon sighting
- Thursday, 25 June — Ashura, 10 Muharram — expected, subject to moon sighting
- Friday, 14 August — Independence Day
- Tuesday, 25 August — Eid Milad-un-Nabi — expected, subject to moon sighting
- Monday, 9 November — Iqbal Day
- Friday, 25 December — Quaid-e-Azam Day / Christmas Day
- Saturday, 26 December — Day after Christmas (for Christian employees only)
How the lunar dates are decided
Islamic holidays in Pakistan — Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Ashura and Eid Milad-un-Nabi — depend on the sighting of the new crescent moon. The Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meets on the 29th evening of each lunar month: if the moon is sighted, the new month begins the next day; if not, the current month completes thirty days. This is why the Eid dates above are marked expected. In practice the announcement comes one or two days beforehand, and the Cabinet Division then issues the formal holiday notification. If you are booking non-refundable travel around Eid, keep a buffer day on each side and wait for the official word.
What closes on public holidays in Pakistan
On national public holidays, federal and provincial government offices, the State Bank and commercial banks, and most schools and colleges close. Private businesses vary: many stay open on single-day observances like Kashmir Day or Iqbal Day, but close — or run skeleton staff — through the Eid holidays. Media houses, hospitals, emergency services and utilities operate as usual. During Eid-ul-Azha (27–29 May), expect a three-day slowdown nationwide as millions travel to their hometowns, with transport heavily booked.
Provincial and optional holidays worth knowing
Beyond the national list, provinces occasionally announce additional holidays for regional occasions, and the government notifies optional holidays for minority communities — for example, Holi, Diwali and Easter are typically granted as optional leave for Hindu and Christian employees. These optional days do not close offices generally, but eligible employees can take them as paid leave. If you belong to a minority community, check the annual optional-holiday notification alongside this national list so you do not miss leave you are entitled to.
Best long-weekend opportunities in 2026
A few dates line up beautifully. Eid-ul-Azha runs Wednesday to Friday (27–29 May), so two leave days on Monday and Tuesday create a nine-day stretch including weekends. Independence Day falls on a Friday (14 August) for a natural three-day weekend. Pakistan Day on Monday 23 March pairs with the Eid-ul-Fitr weekend immediately before it. And Christmas Day on Friday 25 December gives another easy long weekend to close the year. Map these early — and always reconfirm lunar dates with the official announcement before locking in plans.