Public Holidays in Pakistan and How They Affect Travel

Pakistan's public holidays affect travel more than most visitors expect. The fixed national days, such as 14 August, are mainly a matter of parades and closed offices, but the Islamic holidays, especially Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha, empty the cities and fill the northern valleys, sell out buses and flights, and push hotel prices up. Ashura, in the month of Muharram, brings road closures and mobile shutdowns. If your dates touch any of these, book early and expect crowds.

The federal calendar is set each January by the Cabinet Division, and the Islamic dates depend on moon sighting. This guide uses the 2026 calendar as a reference, explains which holidays matter for a trip, and gives approximate 2027 dates where they can be worked out.

What are the public holidays in Pakistan?

For 2026, the federal government's calendar included:

The government also lists optional holidays for minority communities (such as Holi, Diwali, Easter and the birthday of Guru Nanak) and bank holidays on 1 January, 18 February and 1 July in 2026. Provinces can add their own, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government gave a three-day Eid ul-Fitr break from 19 to 21 March in 2026. Sources are the Cabinet Division calendar and reports in Business Recorder, Dawn and The Express Tribune.

Which holidays affect travel most?

Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha

These are the big ones. Millions of people leave the cities to be with family or to go on holiday. Hill stations and northern valleys such as Murree, Naran, Swat and Hunza get very crowded, roads jam, and hotel rooms can double in price. Buses and flights sell out early. Our guides to Eid ul-Fitr trip ideas and Eid ul-Adha in the northern areas cover what to expect. Eid ul-Adha also means livestock markets and animal traffic on roads in the days before.

Ashura

Ashura closes roads and switches off mobile service in designated areas for two days; see our guide to travelling during Muharram.

14 August

Independence Day is a one-day holiday, but it usually creates a long weekend when it is next to a Friday or Monday, and the northern areas are crowded. Our 14 August trip ideas go into plans.

Ramadan

Not a public holiday, but working hours change and restaurants close by day. See our Ramadan travel tips.

Pakistan Day, Kashmir Day, Labour Day and Iqbal Day

Offices close, but the effect on travel is small. Expect a parade in Islamabad on 23 March and some road diversions, and long-weekend traffic if the date falls next to a weekend.

What about school holidays?

Summer vacation, roughly June to August in most provinces, is the other big driver of crowds: families travel to the mountains through the whole period, not just on holidays. Dates differ by province, so check the provincial education department. Winter breaks and Eid-linked breaks are shorter.

What are the likely 2027 dates?

• Fixed dates. If the calendar keeps them, 5 February falls on a Friday, 23 March on a Tuesday, 1 May on a Saturday, 14 August on a Saturday, 9 November on a Tuesday and 25 December on a Saturday.
• Ramadan is expected to begin about 8 February 2027, with Eid ul-Fitr around 9 or 10 March.
• Eid ul-Adha should fall in mid-May, and Ashura about 14 to 16 June.
• Confirmation comes from the Cabinet Division's yearly notification, usually in January, and from the moon-sighting committee days before each Islamic date.

Treat these as planning dates, not fixed ones.

How to plan around holidays

1. Check the calendar before you fix your dates, and again a month before travel.
2. Book early for accommodation, transport and permits over Eid and long weekends.
3. Avoid the day before and after a holiday for road travel, or leave before dawn.
4. Keep a spare day. Landslides and heavy traffic are more likely when everyone is on the road.
5. Carry cash. Banks are shut on public holidays and ATMs run empty over Eid.
6. Expect closures of offices, some shops and permit desks, so arrange paperwork earlier.

For seasonal planning generally, see when to go.

Should you travel on a holiday?

If you want quiet, avoid Eid and long weekends, especially in the northern valleys. If you want atmosphere, a city on Independence Day, or Lahore or Karachi during Eid, can be memorable, and cities empty out during Eid, which makes them easier to see. The best combination is a trip that skips the peak days, but enjoys the shoulder days on either side.

Frequently asked questions