Planning to visit Pakistan in 2019? Get the most out of your experience! Learn here about the most important holidays in Pakistan - fast and easy with UrduPod101!
| January 20, 2019 | Peshawar Massacre Remembrance Day |
| February 1, 2019 | Festival of Kites |
| February 5, 2019 | Kashmir Day |
| March 14, 2019 | Shab e-Barat |
| March 23, 2019 | Pakistan Day |
| April 3, 2019 | Shab e-Meraj |
| April 21, 2019 | Death Anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal |
| May 1, 2019 | Labor Day |
| June 15, 2019 | Eid-ul-Fitr |
| August 14, 2019 | Independence Day |
| September 2, 2019 | Eid-ul-Azha |
| September 6, 2019 | Defence Day |
| September 7, 2019 | Air Force Day |
| September 11, 2019 | Death Anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah |
| October 1, 2019 | Ashura |
| October 16, 2019 | Death anniversary of Liaquat Ali Khan |
| October 24, 2019 | Azad Kashmir Day |
| October 27, 2019 | Kashmir Black Day |
| November 9, 2019 | Iqbal Day |
| November 10, 2019 | Chelum |
| December 1, 2019 | Eid Milad un Nabi |
| December 25, 2019 | Birthday of Quaid-e-Azam |
How well do you know holidays in Pakistan?
In this article, you learn all about the top Pakistan holidays and the traditions and history behind them. Check the must-know Urdu vocabulary for popular holidays in Pakistan too!
That way, you can easily talk about Pakistani holidays while improving your vocabulary and overall speaking skills. You will pick up key vocab, phrases, and cultural insights you won’t find in a textbook.
Perfect for any student interested in learning more about Pakistani culture. We will teach you the what, why, when and how of Pakistan holidays.
This day commemorates the Peshawar Massacre, which took place in 2014 at the Army Public School. The massacre involved TTP gunmen who infiltrated the school, and murdered 142 people, most of which were children. This is a day of mourning and memorial, filled with candlelight vigils and much prayer.
The Festival of Kites, or the Basant Kite Festival, is celebrated on February 1 each year. This holiday is greatly associated with the color yellow and with the coming of spring, and on this day it’s a common pastime to fly kites during Basant Panchami. Unfortunately, a ban has been placed on kite flying due to dangerous substances in the kite strings.
Essentially, Kashmir Day is a day for Pakistan to commemorate its support of Kashmir in its struggle to part from India; it’s also a day to mourn and honor those lost in the struggle.
On the night of Shab e-Barat, people in Pakistan bide their time praying to Allah for both forgiveness and blessings, and it’s not uncommon for sweets to be given especially to children; some places even celebrate this night using fireworks.
Pakistan Day is a celebration of when the Lahore Resolution became official in 1940, as well as Pakistan’s constitution in 1956. These events hold great historical significance for Pakistan, and it’s often celebrated with parades.
Shab e-Meraj is largely a celebration of Mohammad, more specifically his ascension into Heaven to be with Allah and gain wisdom from him before coming back down to earth. It’s also called “The Night of Ascent.” Typically, this holiday is celebrated either praying in mosques or spending time with one’s family, which usually involves the telling or reading of this story.
Allama Muhammad Iqbal was a highly revered poet and philosopher, and is considered Pakistan’s “Spiritual Father.” Many great works of his writing was published, and this great thinker was very influential, especially involving the Pakistan Movement. Even outside of Pakistan, Iqbal was considered a great man. On April 21, his death is commemorated.
In Pakistan, Labor Day is largely observed through processions and marches, in which the people demand better working conditions. Further, it’s seen as a day on which to realize the unity of workers worldwide.
Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated in Pakistan mainly through prayers which are said in large groups, usually meeting in open places. One important aspect of this holiday is the act of giving to charity or those who are poor, in order to allow everyone to feel joyful on this day. Further, people in Pakistan often enjoy good food during their three-day celebration, and spend time with those they’re close to; it’s also common to send cards to distant relatives.
On this day, Pakistan celebrates its independence as a Muslim nation, which was made possible through the Pakistan Revolution of the 1940s. This officially came to be after the Indian Independence Act of 1947. Common celebrations include speeches and seminars, as well as fireworks shows, gun salutes, and even fairs.
This holiday is the celebration and commemoration of Abraham and his complete willingness to sacrifice his son to God, and of the miracle of the lamb appearing to be sacrificed instead. One important ritual on this holiday is the diving of a lamb into three parts, to be shared with those in need, one’s own home, and relatives outside the home. Further, special Eid prayers are said on this day, and everyone must wear their nicest clothes.
On Defense Day, Pakistan celebrates its numerous defenses and its army. This holiday was started as a commemoration of a 1965 attack on Pakistan by India, which Pakistan bravely defended. On this day, it’s common for different defense mechanisms to be displayed, and this can be viewed on television. This day is also seen as an opportunity to remind the younger people of their duty to their nation.
Just after Defence Day, Pakistan celebrates its Air Force Day, which also has roots in the 1965 war. Common on this day are airshows.
In Pakistan, the Death Anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is an important holiday. Jinnah was considered a great man and leader, and is known for his desire for peace and his part in passing the Lahore Resolution. This resolution was an important step in Pakistan becoming its own independent nation. Jinnah is considered a hero to many for this reason.
In Pakistan, most people (excepting the Shias) celebrate Ashura as a commemoration of several important events, including the miracle of the parting waters for Moses and the Israelites, Noah’s safety in leaving the Ark after the Great Flood. Some also use it to commemorate when Muhammad came to Medina.
Liaquat Ali Khan was a very influential and well-educated person in Pakistan’s history, and an interesting figure in pop culture. He’s known as being Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, and one of the people to found Pakistan. In 1951, he was assassinated; Pakistan commemorates and honors him on this day.
On this day, people celebrate the establishment of Azad Kashmir; not much information is available on this holiday.
Kashmir Black Day is a holiday of great significance to Pakistan today. Beginning over 70 years ago, Pakistan has been in revolt against India for its mistreatment of Kashmir, and on Kashmir Black Day they observe this and continue the revolt in hopes of attaining Kashmir from its current state of occupation by the Indian military.
Iqbal Day marks Muhammad Iqbal’s birthday. Iqbal was a poet, commonly referred to as “The Poet of the East,” and came to be highly revered, especially after his death. Further, he’s known for his part in influencing the Pakistan Movement.
This is considered an “optional holiday,” meaning that people in Pakistan can choose to either include this on their holiday list to take off work, or not. This holiday serves as the commemoration of when Husayn ibn Ali was martyred, and pilgrimages to Iraq’s Karbala are common. This is, essentially, a time of mourning.
This holiday is held by some Muslims in commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. On this day, some common events include going to pray in mosques, decorating one’s household festively, and storytelling that revolves around Muhammad. Some people choose to gift others with sweets and give to charity.
This day marks the birthday of Quaid-e-Azam (Muhammad Ali Jinnah), who was a highly revered leader in Pakistan. He’s known for being Pakistan’s founder, and for his role in establishing the country’s independence.
You may ask why it is advantageous to know Pakistani holidays. There are a number of good reasons!
If you’re keen to learn Urdu on your own, there are a number of ways to do this. Why not choose holidays as a theme? You can start by learning about the Pakistani culture, so find a video or TV program about holidays in Pakistan. Better still - find a video or program about holidays in Urdu, and watch it a few times! That way your ear will get used to the spoken language. You could also watch Pakistani movies without subtitles, as this too will train your ear to what correct Urdu sounds like.
If you’re more advanced in Urdu, you can practice your writing skills by writing a letter to your Pakistani friend about the holidays video. Or write a short review of the video, and post it on social media! Imagine how impressed your friends will be!
Practice your Urdu pronunciation, and record yourself talking about your holiday in Pakistan. Pronouncing words correctly in any language is very important, or you may find yourself saying things you don’t mean!
If you’re an absolute beginner, it would be best to start with a book, a CD series, free PDF cheat sheets and preferably your Pakistani friend who can help you. Or, you can start with UrduPod101, for free!
Holidays in Pakistan can also be the perfect opportunity to practice your Urdu! For the best experience, make sure to master at least Level 1 of your Urdu lessons here on UrduPod101 before you go on holiday to Pakistan. Then don’t be shy! Use it with every native speaker you encounter in every situation. Practicing continuously to speak a language is one of the most important habits if you want to become fluent. Or, if you’re a new subscriber to UrduPod101 in a hurry to get to Pakistan, study Absolute Beginner Urdu for Every Day to help you get by as a traveller - you will be surprised how far a little Urdu can go!
UrduPod101 is uniquely geared to help you master relevant, everyday vocabulary and phrases, pronounced correctly and in the right context - this will set you on the right track. Our courses are perfectly designed to help you in fun ways!
But do have a holiday first. Ideally you will enjoy a different culture with a visit, and enrich your life in ways you cannot imagine. Don’t wait till 2020 to learn Urdu through UrduPod101 though - it will open a whole new world for you!
We are always looking forward to the holidays. Holidays keep us Pakistanis motivated and excited. Pakistanis are a lucky nation because they get almost 16 official holidays every single year. Read about all the holidays at https://blog.graana.com/holidays-in-pakistan/
Hi Aqsa Ashraf,
Thank you for your comment.
We do indeed look forward to holidays 😄
Feel free to ask questions if you face any difficulty.
Cheers,
Hamza
Team UrduPod101.com