On July 16 and 17, 2024, banks will observe two-day public holidays in honour of Ashura, which falls on the ninth and tenth day of Muharram, 1446 AH.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced the days on which bank activities would be closed due to Ashura this month.
A two-day public holiday has been declared by the federal government for Muharram 9 and 10.
A Cabinet Division announcement said, “[…] on the occasion of Ashura (9th & 10th Moharram 1446 AH), the Prime Minister is pleased to declare July 16th and 17, 2024 (Tuesday and Wednesday) as public holidays.”
Muslims across will be grieving and sorrowing as they mark Ashura.
As a precautionary step for security during Muharram, the government also sanctioned the deployment of the Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces (CAF) around the nation.
The announcement from the interior ministry said that the specifics of the deployment of troops—which will be in place for an extended amount of time—would be decided upon in consultation with the relevant authorities, which include the governments of Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Islamabad.
“The date of de-requisitioning of said deployments will be decided later after mutual consultation among all stakeholders,” the letter further added.
Earlier on July 5, the Punjab government requested that the interior ministry shut down internet services and social media apps such as Facebook, TikTok, and WhatsApp, as well as other applications, from Muharram 6 to 11, in order to control the spread of hate material and misinformation and prevent sectarian violence, according to media reports.
However, the administration denied the provinces’ request to prohibit these platforms, focusing instead on strengthening security measures during Muharramul Haram.
