Iqbal Day 2026 Holiday Notification

LAHORE – Punjab government announced province-wide public holiday on Monday, November 9, 2026, issuing fresh notification to mark birth anniversary of Pakistan’s national poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) notification on Friday, October 30, ending uncertainty among employees and students over whether Iqbal Day would be observed as an official holiday this year. According to the notification, issued under reference number SOW-I(SG&GAD)2-1/2026, November 9 will be observed as a public holiday throughout Punjab.

The notification has been circulated to provincial authorities, including administrative secretaries, commissioners, deputy commissioners and heads of government departments, for implementation. Officials have also been instructed to ensure that the holiday announcement is widely publicised through national and regional newspapers and electronic media.

Three-Day Weekend

The announcement brings the prospect of an extended weekend for thousands of government employees and others who normally have Saturday and Sunday off. With November 9 falling on a Monday, eligible employees will enjoy three consecutive days off, beginning Saturday, November 7, and continuing through Monday, November 9.

However, the three-day break will depend on the normal weekly schedules of individual offices and institutions.

Punjab’s latest notification reinforces a decision already announced by the federal government earlier this year. Cabinet Division included Allama Iqbal Day in its official calendar of public and optional holidays for 2026, circulated on January 19. The federal schedule lists November 9 as a nationwide public holiday, confirming that the occasion is not restricted to Punjab.

The Punjab government has now issued its own notification to formally communicate the holiday across the province.

November 9 marks the birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, born in Sialkot in 1877. Widely regarded as the spiritual and intellectual inspiration behind the Pakistan Movement, Iqbal remains one of the country’s most influential poets and philosophers.

His writings on selfhood, freedom, faith and national identity continue to occupy an important place in Pakistan’s literary and educational traditions. Commemorative ceremonies, poetry sessions, seminars and special programmes are traditionally organised to honour his contributions.

Public Holidays in Pakistan 2026