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F.No.02/6/2015-Public GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN MINISTRY OF INTERIOR Islamabad, the 26th January, 2016 CIRCULAR Subject:                       PUBLIC AND OPTIONAL HOLIDAYS FOR THE YEAR, 2016 The Public, Optional and Festivals of Minorities holidays for the Calendar Year 2016 would be as under: PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Sr. No. Name of Occasion Days Dates during year 2016 1 Kashmir Day Friday 5th February, 2016 2 Pakistan Day Wednesday 23rd March, 2016 3 Labor Day Sunday 1st May, 2016 4 Eid-ul-Fitr, (1st Shawal 1437 A.H) Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 6th, 7th,  and 8th July, 2016 5 Independence Day Sunday 14th August, 2016 6 Eid-ul-Azha, (10th Zil Haj 1437 A.H) Monday & Tuesday 12th & 13th September, 2016 7 Ashura (9th  & 10th  Moharrurn 1438 A.H) Tuesday & Wednesday 11th & 12th  October, 2016 8 Eid Milad-un-Nabi (12 Rabi-ul- Awal 1438 A.H) Monday 12th  December , 2016 9 Quaid-e-Azam Day/Christmas Sunday 25th December, 2016 10 Day after Christmas Monday 26th December, 2016 (For Christians only)  2.        The following will be Bank Holidays. However, on these days the Banks / DFIs /MFBs will remain closed for public but NOT for their employees: (Subject to appearance of moon). Note: Holidays for Muslims Festivals are subject to appearance of moon for which a separate Notification will be issued. OPTIONAL HOLIDAYS Sr. No. Name of Occasion Days Dates during the year 2016 1 New Year Day Friday 1st January, 2016 2 Giarhwin Sharief (11 Rabi-us-Sani 1437 A.H) Friday 22nd January, 2016 3 Basant Punchami Friday 12th February, 2016 4 Shivratri Monday 7th March, 2016 5 Holi Wednesday 23rd March, 2016 6 Dulhandi Thursday 24th March, 2016 7 Good Friday Friday 25th March, 2016 8 Easter/ Day After Easter Sunday/ Monday 27th  and 28th March, 2016 9 Baisakhi Thursday 14th April, 2016 10 Eid-e-Rizwan (Bahai’s Community only) Thursday 21st April, 2016 11 Shab-e-Meraj (27 Rajab 1437 A.H) Thursday 5th May, 2016 12 Buddha Purnima Saturday 21st May, 2016 13 Shab-e-Barat (15 Shaban 1437 A.H) Monday 23rd May, 2016 14 Nauroze (Parsi’s New Year Day) Wednesday 17th August, 2016 15 Birthday of Lord Zoroaster (Khordad Sal) Monday 22nd August, 2016 16 Janam Ashtami Thursday 25th August, 2016 17 Durga Puja Saturday 1st October, 2016 18 Dussehra Tuesday 11th October, 2016 19 Diwali Sunday 30th October, 2016 20 Guru Nanak’s Birthday Monday 14th  November, 2016 21 Birthday Guru Valmik Sawami Jee Wednesday 16th November, 2016 22 Chelum (20 Safar 1438 A.H) Monday 21st November, 2016 Note: 3.         Government Servants desiring to avail themselves of Optional Holidays shall take prior permission of the Head of office concerned and no Government Servant shall be granted more than one Optional Holiday in the case of Muslims and three Optional Holidays for Non-Muslims in a Calendar Year. 4.         The grant of this concession should not result in any dislocation of work. In the case of Muslim Optional Holidays, the number of persons permitted to avail Optional Holidays should be regulated in a manner so as to adequate staff is available for proper continuance of the work. 5. The Optional Holidays are denominational and may be allowed at the discretion of the Head of Office, provided that work is not suffered. 6. A Government Servant should not ordinarily be refused an Optional Holiday that is of religious significance to him and the refusal is likely to decrease the number of such holidays to which he is entitled. SECTION OFFICER (Public)