In an unexpected turn of events, the Government of Sindh has changed its holiday program and removed the previous notification, effectively launching the new Sindh Eid Holidays Schedule for Eid-ul-Adha 2026. After getting approvals from Chief Secretary Sindh, Dr. Asif Hyder Shah, the Services, General Administration, & Coordination Department issued an amended corrigendum. This change will cut the traditional public sector four day holiday break to three days. The abrupt change aligns the provincial holiday calendar with the federal government’s.
Comparing the Legacy and Revised Eid-ul-Adha Schedules
The first notification of the provincial cabinet had provided details on public holidays for Eid-ul-Adha to be observed from May 26th to May 29th (Tuesday to Friday), with four days of extended leave being offered for the workforce. The revised corrigendum, however, changes the holiday pattern as follows:
The Revised official Schedule: Public holidays in the province of Sindh will henceforth officially be on May 26th to May 28th 2026. The above dates are based upon Islamic lunar calendar (Zil-Hajj) from 9th to 11th Zil-Hajj of 1447 AH.
The public holiday for Friday, May 29th, ended, and the government implemented the “Work-From-Home” Mandate for that day. This ensures that routine public sector work resumes without disrupting traveling employees.
The official gazette notifications regarding this holiday reduction can be accessed on the digital portal of the Government of Sindh.
Applicability and Budget Duty Exemptions
The New Schedule of Eid Holidays for the state has been revised which applies to all administrative departments, nothing will stop it from being carried out by the provincial government or the semi-autonomous authorities in the geographical boundary of its province. These include:
All departments and line ministries in Sindh Government.
State sponsored corporations, government agencies, and municipal councils.
Public sector educational institutions, colleges, and provincial universities.
Essential Services and Budget Desk Exemptions
As per the executive notification, this holiday schedule will not apply to essential services, including public healthcare facilities, rescue departments, law enforcement agencies, and municipal emergency staff. Additionally, all government officials and finance personnel tasked with preparing the Provincial Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 are exempted from these holidays and must report for budget duty.
Federal Synchronization and Public Response
In the past, the federal government limited its Eid-ul-Adha holiday calendar to three days nationwide which is the 26th, 27th and 28th of May. At first Sindh would take a longer break but, changed its mind about the break being longer, the provincial government changed its policy and aligned itself to the federal break.
Federal holiday guidelines can be cross-referenced via the Cabinet Division, Government of Pakistan.
This sudden policy shift has been met with mixed reactions from the trade associations as well as the general public throughout Karachi and Hyderabad. With the original setting of four days of holiday, many citizens have had their transport tickets booked to go home to their home districts already.
The Sindh government’s revised policy aligns provincial holidays with the federal framework. Public sector employees are advised to plan accordingly, keeping in mind the Work-From-Home policy for Friday, May 29th, to avoid any confusion.
