District administrations across all provinces have declared a public holiday for educational institutions on Monday, August 26, to observe the chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain, commemorating the martyrs of Karbala.
This holiday will affect schools, colleges, and universities in the municipal jurisdictions of Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi.
The official notification specifies that all educational institutions will be closed to accommodate chehlum processions and related activities.
In Karachi, the Sindh Education Department has issued a similar notice, declaring August 26 a public holiday for both government and private schools.
This decision aims to facilitate public participation in the chehlum observances and to mitigate traffic and security challenges in areas where processions will occur.
Additionally, the Punjab government announced a public holiday for the Lahore district on August 26, 2024, to celebrate the 981st Annual Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA).
This notification, issued by the Services and General Administration Department (Welfare Wing), affects all government offices in Lahore, except for the Punjab Civil Secretariat, its Attached Departments, and Regional Offices.
The Urs festival, honoring Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajveri, will be held from August 24-26. The Auqaf Department has allocated Rs13.5 million for langar preparations and other related functions.
To ensure the safety of pilgrims, special security measures have been announced, including the installation of 144 security and closed-circuit cameras, a dedicated control room, and 18 LCD screens. These measures are being implemented by the police department to enhance security during the event.
