Govt extends Eidul Azha holidays to four days

The federal government on Thursday extended the Eidul Azha holidays to four days, Express News reported.

The Eid holidays would begin from June 28 and would end on July 1. Since July 2 happens to be Sunday, the government employees will enjoy a total of five holidays on Eidul Azha.

Earlier, the government had announced a three-day Eid holidays from June 29 (Thursday) to July 1 (Saturday).

The announcement was preceded by sighting of moon on July 19 by Ruet-e-Hilal Committee. Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said that the first day of Eidul Azha will be celebrated across Pakistan on June 29.

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“Testimonies of the moon of Zilhaj being sighted were received from several areas, including Islamabad, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Khanpur, Ghotki, Karachi, Bahawalnagar and Peshawar.

“So, it was unanimously decided that the first of Zilhaj… will fall on June 20, 2023, and Eidul Azha will be celebrated on June 29, 2023,” he announced.

Eidul Azha marks the end of the Hajj which is one of the five pillars of Islam and should be undertaken by every Muslim who can afford to do so.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia announced the sighting of the Zilhaj moon on Sunday, marking the start of the Islamic month of Zilhaj from Monday, June 19, and setting the stage for the observance of Eidul Azha on Wednesday, June 28.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia and several other Gulf nations usually celebrate Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha simultaneously.