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Pakistan, August 3 — The Punjab administration has declared a local holiday in Lahore on August 4 to celebrate the annual Urs of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, commonly referred to as Data Ganj Bakhsh. An official notice verified the choice, mentioning that specific government offices in the city will be closed to support the religious event. This holiday is restricted to Lahore and does not cover the rest of the province.

As per the notice, all district government offices in Lahore and the departments functioning under the Deputy Commissioner’s jurisdiction will be closed for the entire day. This decision aims to facilitate administrative preparations and make room for events associated with the Urs festival, which draws a significant number of pilgrims from all over the country annually.

Nevertheless, the Punjab government stated that the local holiday will not affect the Punjab Civil Secretariat or other provincial government departments. These organizations will keep functioning as usual, maintaining the smooth operation of provincial administrative tasks even with the local holiday observed in Lahore.

Additionally, the government highlighted that the notice is applicable solely to district-level offices in Lahore. Departments and institutions at the provincial level, which fall outside the jurisdiction of the deputy commissioner, will maintain regular activities. Residents who plan to visit government offices are encouraged to check the operating schedules beforehand to prevent any disruption.

The yearly Urs festival of Hazrat Ali Hajveri stands as one of Lahore’s most important spiritual gatherings, attracting thousands of visitors to the shrine annually. Officials typically introduce specific administrative and security protocols during the festivities to handle large crowds and maintain the seamless execution of religious ceremonies throughout the city.