ISLAMABAD: Monday (August 3) was a working day in the federal government and two provincial governments of Punjab and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) but was an Eidul Azha holiday in Balochistan and Sindh.
Provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan on Friday announced to extend August 3 (Monday) as Eid holiday but the government of the PTI in federal, the Punjab and the KP rejected to extend Eid holidays till Monday.
Though, the federal government declared Monday as working day, low attendance of employees in ministries and attached departments was seen in the capital city.
First two days of Eid (August 1 and 2) fell on Saturday and Sunday, which were already, weekly offs in most government offices. Many officials told Business Recorder that the government had essentially given just one day holiday as Saturday and Sunday were already offs in the country.
People belonging to middle-class often offer the sacrifice on the third day as they get a better deal from the butchers compared to first and second day, they added.
Defending the decision of the federal government, in a tweet, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill stated that people travelled due to more holidays on Eidul Fitr, which caused the spread of the coronavirus and they had to enforce lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19, which caused great harm to the poor.
The federal government did not accommodate even the request of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman who had urged the federal government to declare the third day of Eidul Azha as holiday since many people slaughter their sacrificial animals on that day.
The government also notified new timing for offices that come under the federal government. New office timings for federal employees are 9am to 5pm applicable from Monday.
The decision was taken in the light of downward trend in positive coronavirus cases in the country.
An anecdotal survey conducted by Business Recorder reveals that the officers' strength in the government offices was much higher as compared with that of the lower staff or the supporting staff.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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