Pakistani Muslim hug each other after attending Eid al-Adha prayers at a mosque in Karachi on September 13, 2016. Muslims across the world celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and in commemoration of Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. / AFP PHOTO / ASIF HASSAN
The Federal government has recently issued the complete list of all the public and optional holidays which will be observed throughout the country for the year 2023.
According to the official notification issued by the Cabinet Division, there will be a total of 16 public holidays in 2023, with the first being Kashmir Day which will be observed on 5 February.
With 5 holidays coming on Fridays or Mondays, there will be plenty of long weekends for the public to enjoy.
| Sr. No. | Name of Occasion | Day(s) | Date(s) |
| 1 | Kashmir Day | Sunday | 5 February |
| 2 | Pakistan Day | Thursday | 23 March |
| 3* | Eid-ul-Fitr | Saturday, Sunday, Monday | 22, 23, 24 April |
| 4* | Labour Day | Monday | 1 May |
| 5* | Eid-ul-Azha | Thursday, Friday, Saturday | 29, 30 June and 1 July |
| 6* | Ashura (9 and 10 Mohrram) | Thursday, Friday | 27, 28 July |
| 7 | Independence Day | Monday | 14 August |
| 8* | Eid Milad-un-Nabi | Thursday | 28 September |
| 9 | Allama Iqbal Day | Thursday | 9 November |
| 10 | Quaid-e-Azam Day/Christmas | Monday | 25 December |
| 11 | Day after Christmas (only for Christian community) | Tuesday | 26 December |
*Subject to sighting of the moon.
The following will be bank holidays. However, on these days, the banks, DFIs, MFBs will remain closed for the public but not for their employees.
| Sr. | Day | Date |
| 1 | Monday | 2 January |
| 2* | Wednesday | 22 March (corresponding to 1st Ramazan for deduction of Zakat) |
| 3 | Monday | 3 July |
*Subject to sighting of the moon.
On the other hand, there will be a total of 21 optional holidays. Let’s have a look at them.
| Sr. No. | Occasion | Day(s) | Date(s) |
| 1 | New Year Day | Sunday | 1 January |
| 2 | Basant Punchami | Thursday | 26 January |
| 3 | Shivaratri | Saturday | 18 February |
| 4* | Shab-e-Meraj | Saturday | 18 February |
| 5 | Holi | Monday | 6 March |
| 6 | Dulhandi | Tuesday | 7 March |
| 7* | Shab-e-Barat | Wednesday | 8 March |
| 8 | Good Friday | Friday | 7 April |
| 9 | Day after Easter Sunday | Monday | 10 April |
| 10 | Baisakhi | Friday | 14 April |
| 11 | Eid-e-Rizwan | Friday | 21 April |
| 12 | Buddha Purnima | Friday | 7 July |
| 13 | Nauroze | Wednesday | 16 August |
| 14 | Khordad Sal | Monday | 21 August |
| 15* | Chehlum | Wednesday | 6 September |
| 16 | Janam Ashtami | Thursday | 7 September |
| 17 | Durga Puja | Monday | 23 October |
| 18 | Dussehra | Tuesday | 24 October |
| 19* | Giyarvee Shareef | Friday | 27 October |
| 20 | Birthday of Guru Valmik Sawami Ji | Saturday | 28 October |
| 21 | Diwali | Sunday | 12 November |
| 22 | Birthday of Guru Nanak | Monday | 27 November |
*Subject to sighting of the moon.
Here is the official notification.
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