Public holiday in Islamabad on Saturday, Sunday due to OIC summit

The federal government has declared a public holiday in Islamabad on December 18 and 19 (Saturday and Sunday)  as Pakistan prepares to host a summit of foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) this Sunday to address the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Read more: Pakistan to host OIC FMs session on Afghanistan on Dec 19: FM Qureshi

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid announced the decision while talking to the media in the capital today. According to him, the decision was taken to ensure foolproof security for the conference.

However, Rashid continued, that the cabinet division would separately notify about the Monday off for the secretariat.

In a tweet on Friday, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat also confirmed that there will be a holiday in Islamabad for schools and private offices on Saturday and Monday.

Coming Monday and Saturday will be local holiday in Islamabad for schools and private offices. Hiking trails in margalla will stay closed. Metro stations (Pak sect to Shaheed e milat sect) will stay closed till Monday.

— Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat (@hamzashafqaat) December 17, 2021

“Hiking trails in Margalla will stay closed,” he said, adding that “metro stations from Pakistan Secretariat to Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat will also stay closed till Monday.”

He also shared an official notification on Twitter that said that government offices will remain closed on December 20 (Monday) as well.

Image: Twitter

The United Nations has repeatedly warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and Qureshi said the OIC “must step in to help our Afghan brethren”.

Last Saturday, Pakistan had announced to host the 17th extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on the Afghanistan situation in Islamabad, with core objectives of highlighting the need for urgent assistance and mobilisation of resources to avert a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in the country.

Read more: Sanctions, assets freeze has crippled Afghanistan’s banking system: FM Qureshi

“If we don’t pay timely attention, half of Afghanistan’s population or 22.8 million people can face food shortage, and 3.2 million children may face malnutrition. This is the magnitude which we and the world should understand,” Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said during a news conference.