Govt announces public holiday on August 26

LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced a public holiday in Lahore district on Monday, August 26, 2024, on the occasion of 981st Annual Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA).

The notification was also issued by Services and General Administration Department (Welfare Wing) on Tuesday.

This district-level public holiday will apply to all government offices in Lahore, except for the Punjab Civil Secretariat, its Attached Departments, and Regional Offices, it said.

The three-day 981th Urs celebrations of great saint Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajveri (RA) will be held from August 24-26.

The Auqaf Department has been allocated Rs 13.5 million for extensive arrangements of langar for visitors and for other events.

The Auqaf secretary briefed the media regarding the Urs arrangements here on Wednesday. He said that the urs would be held on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from August 24 to 26, 2024 at his Astana, which will be formally inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar.

The secretary said special security arrangements included installation of 144 security and closed circuit cameras, establishment of a separate control room, 18 LCD’s will also be installed by the police department for the protection of pilgrims.