Eid Al Fitr 2023: Pakistan announces five-day holiday
Railways will operate five special trains to facilitate passengers during holiday
Islamabad: Pakistan government has announced a five-day public holiday on Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.
The Cabinet Division said in a notification that April 21 to 25, 2023, (Friday to Tuesday) have been declared as public holidays for Eid.
Ramadan began on March 23 in Pakistan and the exact date of Eid Al Fitr depends on the sighting of the moon, which is expected to be on either April 21 or April 22.
Pakistan’s Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to meet at the religious affairs ministry’s building in Islamabad on April 20 to sight the crescent of Shawwal.
However, the Ruet-i-Hilal Research Council has suggested that Eid is “most likely to be celebrated on April 22” in Pakistan after 30 days of Ramadan, citing the little possibility of sighting the moon on the evening of April 20.
Eid is a joyous festival when families and friends come together and celebrate after a month of fasting. For many, this means a journey to their hometowns to be with their families on Eid - a cherished tradition in Pakistan.
During the last week of Ramadan, train and bus stations and airports, are crowded with people ready to make the long but exciting trip of reuniting with family members.
To facilitate passengers during Eid, Pakistan Railways will operate five special trains from April 18 to 27. These trains will cover routes from Karachi to Lahore and Peshawar, Rawalpindi to Quetta, and Kolhaur to Karachi.
The national flag carrier Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has announced a 10 per cent discount on domestic fares for the upcoming Eid holidays. The discount will be valid on April 22 and 23 and applies to all domestic routes.