Government of Pakistan, Cabinet Secretariat Cabinet Division issued a Notification on 23-12-2022 in connection with Public and Optional Holidays 2023 Pakistan. The Public Holidays 2022 in Pakistan are general holidays for all public. The Optional Holidays 2013 are not for the general public. These holidays are locally based and any event-specific or religious-specific holidays like Christmas, Diwali, etc.
Public and Optional Holidays 2022 in Pakistan
There are five types of holidays, these are as under:
- Public Holidays
- Optional Holidays
- Local Holidays
- Bank Holidays
- Educational Institutions Holidays / Vacation
You will read the details of public and optional holidays 2023 throughout the year 2023 in Pakistan. Some holidays are public holidays but only for the Christmas as Day after Christmas. There is also a third type of holiday which is a Bank Holiday. During bank holidays only banks remain closed for public dealing only. Otherwise, their staff remains present in banks to finalize the work. There is another type of holiday that is called winter/ summer/spring vacations in Schools, Colleges, or Universities. These types of holidays are only for school/college students and teachers. The teachers get a Conveyance Allowance during Vacations while they enjoy holidays.
Schedule of Public Holidays in Pakistan during 2023
The Schedule of Public Holidays at a notional level in the year 2023 is as follows:-
| Sr.No# | Name of Occasion | Days | Dates During year 2023 |
| 1 | Kashmir Day | Sunday | 5th February 2023 |
| 2 | Pakistan Day | Thursday | 23rd March 2023 |
| 3 | Eid-ul-Fitr (1st Shawal 1444 A.H.) | Saturday, Sunday, and Monday | 22nd April 2023,
23rd April 2023, 24th April 2023 |
| 4 | Labour Day | Monday | 1st May 2023 |
| 5 | Eid-ul-Azha (10th Zil Hajj 1444 A.H.) | Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | 29th June 2023,
30th June 2023, 1st July 2023 |
| 6 | Ashura (9th & 10th Moharram 1445 A.H.) | Thursday & Friday | 27th July 2023,
28th July 2023 |
| 7 | Independence Day | Monday | 14th August 2023 |
| 8 | Eid Milad-un-Nabi (12th Rabi-ul-Awal 1445 A.H) | Thursday | 28th September 2023 |
| 9 | Allama Iqbal Day | Thursday | 9th November 2023 |
| 10 | Quaid e Azam Day/
Christmas |
Monday | 25th December 2023 |
| 11 | Day After Christmas | Tuesday | 26th December 2023
(For Christians Only) |
The government of Pakistan issued a Notification of cancellation of the Iqbal Day Holiday in 2015 but in 2022 Government restored the Iqbal Day holiday. In this new schedule of holidays in 2023 this holiday is also included in the list.
List Bank Holidays in Pakistan in 2023
These Bank Holidays in Pakistan in 2023 are as under:
| Sr. NO# | Day/Date |
| 01 | 2nd January 2023 (Monday) |
| 02 | 22nd March 2023 (Wednesday) Corresponding to 1st Ramazan 1444 A.H. for deduction of zakat (Subject to Appearance of the moon) |
| 03 | 3rd July 2023 (Monday) |
List of Optional Holidays:-
The optional holidays in 2023 are as mentioned:-
| Sr. No. | Name of Occasion | Day | Date |
| 01 | New Year Day | Sunday | 1st January 2023 |
| 02 | Basant Punchami | Thursday | 26th January 2023 |
| 03 | Shivaratri | Saturday | 18th February 2023 |
| 04 | Shab-e-Meraj (27th Rajab 145 A.H.) | Saturday | 18th February 2023 |
| 05 | Holi | Monday | 6th March 2023 |
| 06 | Dulhandi | Tuesday | 7th March 2023 |
| 07 | Shab-e-Barat (15th Shaban 1445 A.H.) | Wednesday | 8th March 2023 |
| 08 | Good Friday | Friday | 7th April 2023 |
| 09 | Day After Easter Sunday | Monday | 10th April 2023 |
| 10 | Baisakhi | Friday | 14th April 2023 |
| 11 | Eid-e-Rizwan (Bahai’s Community Only) | Friday | 21st April 2023 |
| 12 | Buddha Purnima | Friday | 7th July 2023 |
| 13 | Nauroze (Parsi’s New year) | Wednesday | 16th August 2023 |
| 14 | Birthday of Lord Zoroaster (Khordad Sal) | Monday | 21st August 2023 |
| 15 | Chehlum (20th Safar 1445 A.H.) | Wednesday | 6th September 2023 |
| 16 | Janam Ashtami | Thursday | 7th September 2023 |
| 17 | Durga Puja | Monday | 23rd October 2023 |
| 18 | Dussehra | Tuesday | 24th October 2023 |
| 19 | Giyarvee Shareef (11th Rabl-us-Sani 1445 A.H.) | Friday | 27th October 2023 |
| 20 | Birthday of Guru Valmik Swami Jee | Saturday | 28th October 2023 |
| 21 | Diwali | Sunday | 12th November 2023 |
| 22 | Guru Nanak Dev Jee Birthday | Monday | 27th November 2023 |
The Hindus Community will observe the Diwali holiday on 12-11-2023 as the same community observed the same in 2022. Sindh Government issued a specific notification of Holidays on 24th Oct 2022 on Divwli in Sindh province.
Instructions about Optional Holidays
As the schedule for Public, Optional, and Bank holidays already have been mentioned. Here are some instructions regarding the Optional Holidays:-
No dislocation:-
The Optional holidays are denominational and they can be provided by the Head of an Office. But he must make sure that the work does not suffer. If there is any Optional Holiday granted, it should not impact the work. If there is any Muslim Optional Holiday, the staff should be regulated in an appropriate manner. There should be no dislocation of work in case of Optional concession.
Government Servants:-
Government Servants should not be refused. On the occasion of any Optional Holiday, which is of religious significance, the government servant should not be ordinarily refused. His refusal on such occasions is likely to decrease the number of holidays to which he/she is entitled.
