Each year government employees and citizens alike get public holidays on religious festivals or on days which are considered of national significance due to some historical events. But without a complete list of public holidays for 2023 it will be difficult to plan things.
This is where this list for all national holidays will be helpful for your. Note that some national events will fall on Sunday hence no separate holiday will be provided for such days.
2023 Public Holidays List:
Students, government employees, private employees, labour, lawyers and everyone else will be able to avail the following holidays in Pakistan:
| Name of Occasion | Day | Dates during year |
| Kashmir Day | Sunday | 5 February, 2023 |
| Pakistan Day | Thursday | 23 March, 2023 |
| Eid-ui-Fitr | Saturday, Sunday, Monday | 22, 23, 24 April 2023 |
| Labour Day | Monday | 1st May, 2023 |
| Eid-uI-Azha | Thursday, Friday, Saturday | 29, 30 June, 2023 and 1 July, 2023 |
| Ashura (9 and 10 Moharram 1445 A.H.) | Thursday & Friday | 27 and 28 July, 2023 |
| Independence Day | Monday | 14 August, 2023 |
| Eid MiIad-un-Nabi (12 Rabi-ul- Awwal 1445 A.Hj | Thursday | 28 September. 2023 |
| Allama Iqbal Day | Thursday | 9 November, 2023 |
| Quaid-e-Azam Day & Christmas | Monday | 25 December, 2023 |
| Day after Christmas | Tuesday | 26 December, 2023 |
These federal holidays will be applicable to all areas and cities of Pakistan such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Hyderabad, Sukkur, etc.
Optional Holidays:
There are some other holidays which are considered optional for minorities such as Christians, Hindus, Bahai, Sikh and some other holidays which are optional for Muslims as well. These optional holidays are as follows:
| Name of Occasion | Day | Dates during year 2023 |
| New Year Day | Sunday | 1 January, 2023 |
| Basant Punchami | Thursday | 26 January, 2023 |
| Shivaratri | Saturday | 18 February, 2023 |
| Shab-e-Meraj (27 Rajab 1444 A.H) | Saturday | 18 February, 2023 |
| Holi | Monday | 6 March, 2023 |
| Dulhandi | Tuesday | 7 March, 2023 |
| Shab-e-Barat (1 Shaban 1444 A.H) | Wednesday | 8 March, 2023 |
| Good Friday | Friday | 7 April, 2023 |
| Day After Easter Sunday | Monday | 10 April, 2023 |
| Baisakhi | Friday | 14 April, 2023 |
| Eid-e-Rizwan (Bahai’s Community only) | Friday | 21 April, 2023 |
| Buddha Purnima | Friday | 7 July, 2023 |
| Nauroze (Parsi’s New Year Day) | Wednesday | 16 August, 2023 |
| Birthday of Lord Zoroaster (Khordad Sal) | Monday | 21 August, 2023 |
| Chehlum (20 safar 1445 AH) | Wednesday | 6 September, 2023 |
| Janam Ashtami | Thursday | 7 September, 2023 |
| Durga Puja | Monday | 23 October, 2023 |
| Dussehra | Tuesday | 24 October. 2023 |
| Giyarvee Shareef (1 Rabi- us-Sani 1445 A.H) | Friday | 27 October, 2023 |
| Birthday of Guru Valmic Sawami Ji) | 28 October, 2023 | |
| Diwali | Sunday | 12 November, 2023 |
| Guru Nanak Birthday | Monday | 27 November, 2023 |
As per federal government policy these optional holidays can be availed by government employees but after prior permission from their concerned head offices. In other words these holidays are not automatically considered a off day or leave rather it is linked with prior permission from your department.
Bank Holidays:
There are three specific holidays which are known as ‘Bank Holidays’ during these 3 days banks will not be open for customers but these holidays are not for Bank employees:
- 2nd January 2023 – Monday
- 22nd March 2023 – Wednesday (subject to moonsighting as the holiday is related to Zakat deduction)
- 3st July 2023 – Monday
There are some other holidays which are provided by provincial governments such as Balochistan, Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh which are not included in the list. This includes Urs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai on 14th Safar & Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary on 27 Dec 2023.
