The federal government has announced two public holidays on account of 9th and 10th Muharram to be observed on September 20 and 21; therefore, all government and private institutions will remain closed on these dates.
In this regard, a notification was issued on Friday.
The first of Muharram-ul Haram, which also marks the beginning of new Islamic Year, was observed across the Country on Wednesday when a public holiday was observed across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in respect of the Month as per the provincial government’s announcement.
It is worth noting that last year, two public holidays were also observed, and all offices, institutions, banks etc remained closed on September 30 and October 1 in connection with Ashura.
This year in a bid to ensure that no untoward incident occurs, the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqat issued a notification, banning pillion riding in the Federal Cabinet for next two month. However, women, elderly people, children, journalists and government officials would remain exempted from the pillion riding ban. The pillion riding was also banned across the Punjab province on 9th and 10th Muharram.
Last Wednesday, the Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar visited the Punjab Safe City Authority Office in Qurban Line Lahore, where he was briefed about the security arrangements for Muharram-ul Haram.
وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب سردار عثمان بزدار کاپنجاب سیف سٹی اتھارٹی کے ہیڈ آفس قربان لائنز کا دورہ ۔
وزیراعلیٰ نے کیمروں کی مدد سے شہر کی سکیورٹی کے لئے کئے جانے والے اقدامات کا جائزہ لیا۔
وزیراعلیٰ نے جدید ٹیکنالوجی کی مدد سے جرائم کی روک تھام کے لئے کئے جانے والے اقدامات کو سراہا۔ pic.twitter.com/IZqy0FHNQM— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) September 12, 2018
While speaking, the chief minister said army and rangers personnel had been called in for cooperation in the security arrangements. He said there would be no compromise on publishing and distributing controversial material.
Meanwhile, in their separate messages on the advent of Muharram-ul Haram, President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan stressed for promoting unity, tolerance, religious harmony, and collectively efforts towards the progress and prosperity of the Country by leaving aside petty regional, personal and racial hatreds and prejudices.
