The Sindh government has announced a public holiday across the province on March 13 (Friday), according to a notification issued on Thursday.
In the notification issued by the services department, all government offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, and local councils under the administrative control of the provincial government, except for essential services, will remain closed tomorrow.
The notification follows an earlier announcement by Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah that a public holiday will be observed on Jumma-tul-Wida, the last Friday of Ramadan.
Jumma-tul-Wida is observed on the final Friday of the holy month. If Ramadan completes 29 fasting days according to the lunar calendar, March 13 will mark Jumma-tul-Wida.
However, if the moon is not sighted on March 19, the 29th day of Ramadan, the month will extend to 30 days, and the occasion will instead fall on March 20. March 13 is therefore the likely date, subject to confirmation of the moon sighting.
The provincial government had already announced work-from-home on Fridays under its austerity and fuel conservation plan.
These measures are part of a broader savings initiative following a national austerity plan introduced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The move came amid supply disruptions caused by tensions in the Middle East affecting the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil transit route.
