Govt announces Eid-ul-Azha holidays

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday announced three days public holidays for the festive the festive occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

The holidays will be in all public and private institutions from Tuesday August 21 to Thursday August 23, 2018.

On Monday, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced that the Zil-Hajj moon had been sighted and Eid-ul-Azha would be observed on August 22.

Earlier the Ministry of Interior had recommended the federal government for a four-day public holiday from August 21-24. However, all public and private institutions will open on Friday August 24.

The federal government has also ordered that the salaries of public employees and pensions of retired officers should be paid by August 17.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the advance will be paid to civil and armed forces officers before Eid-ul-Azha.

Eid Al Adha falls on the 10th day of Zil-Haj and is celebrated by Muslims around 70 days after Eid Al Fitr which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, it is one of two Eid festivals celebrated by the Muslim faithful to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) willingness to sacrifice his own son for the sake of Almighty Allah.

Traditionally marked by the slaughter of animals, whose meat is shared with family members and the poor. The faithful slaughter their sacrificial animals in remembrance of Sunnat-e Ibrahimi, which continues for three days of Eid.