Govt employees in Punjab will get nine days off for Eid ul Fitr

Punjab on Tuesday issued an official notification to announce that all public institutions will remain closed from May 10 to May 15 across the province on account of Eid ul Fitr.  Therefore, all government employees will be able to enjoy nine days of holidays.

Even though the notification from the Punjab government states that there will be a six-day holiday, it should be noted that May 8 and May 9 will fall on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, while May 16 will also be a Sunday. Therefore, all government employees will be able to take a nine-day break from work.

The notification was issued by the government after the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) recommended that Eid-ul-Fitr holidays in Pakistan should be observed from May 10-15.

"Announcement of Eid Holidays from 10-15 May 2021 — clearly stating the intention of reducing national mobility," the statement from the NCOC had said.

NCOC, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus, also announced comprehensive guidelines by the name of "STAY HOME-STAY SAFE — Eid-ul-Fitr-2021 from 8-16 May 2021".

The NCOC has also imposed a ban on chand raat bazaars, including mehndi, jewellery, and clothing stalls — from 8-16 May.

Earlier, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had announced that it will not be issuing new notes on Edi ul Fitr this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Like last year, we will not be issuing new banknotes on Eid ul Fitr due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic,” said the SBP in a statement.