Pakistan province declares public holiday on Holi

Islamabad, March 20: Pakistan's Sindh province has declared a public holiday on March 24 as a public holiday to mark the occasion of Holi - a religious festival of the Hindu community, the media reported on Sunday.

The announcement was made by the provincial government on Saturday, March 19.

A government spokesman told Dawn that earlier only the Hindu community was given a holiday on Holi.

"This is the first time Holi has been declared a public holiday anywhere in Pakistan."

The move comes after the National Assembly (NA) adopted a resolution to take steps to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as holidays for minorities.

The resolution moved independently by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani called for national holidays marking the three occasions.

But despite the passage of the resolution in the NA, no notification was issued by the federal interior ministry officially declaring holidays.