Offices in capital deserted post Eidul Fitr

Islamabad: As if the festivity is not over yet, the government offices in Islamabad saw thin attendance on Tuesday, the first working day after four official Eid holidays.

And even those on duty, mostly local residents, spent most of their time chatting away about their activities on Eid as well as current political happenings ahead of the July 25 general elections.

They said things would be normal in a day or two. The government had announced four Eid holidays from Friday to Monday but many of its employees have taken holidays for one or two more days to make the most of Eid celebrations. Also on Thursday, the last working day before Eid, thin attendance was reported in government offices as the employees, mostly non-locals, left for hometowns to celebrate Eid.

Most visitors to government offices returned frustrated after staff members asked them to show up after two days for their respective work. An official working at the Pak Secretariat said his office wore deserted look as many of its employees had taken additional holidays for Tuesday and Wednesday to enjoy the Eid festival to the full.

He said many of his colleagues had gone either to hometowns or on excursion to hill stations, including Murree, Abbottabad, Swat, Kaghan and Naran and that they would resume duty in a day or two.

A staff member of the information ministry said most of his colleagues, who had shown up on Tuesday, were local residents and they instead of doing duty spent most of their time chatting away over tea.