Govt not considering any change in weekly holiday: information minister

E-Paper | July 18, 2026

Addressing media reports that the PTI-led government might announce Friday as the weekly off instead of Sunday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said "all such rumours are baseless".

"No change in weekly holiday calendar is under consideration; all such rumours regarding change in this regard are baseless," said the federal minister on Twitter.

Earlier this week, during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's first state visit to Pakistan, reports started making rounds that the government was considering changing the weekend from Sunday to Friday 'to further strengthen business relations with the Arab countries'. People on social media had strongly opposed the proposed change.

However, the senior leadership of PTI — when contacted by Dawn.com — had refuted the reports regarding the change.

Nomi Goraya

Feb 21, 2019 01:30pm

This minster has all the useless issues to comment on and this government is expert in wasting time on non serious and useless issues under the illusion that it will buy them some time and keep the criticism a bay. But clock is ticking and soon this government will complete one year in power and then there would be no excuse or punching bag to justify failures

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Feb 21, 2019 01:30pm

Given propensity for U Turns to “serve the country” how credible is this statement? Perhaps the PM himself should’ve spoken on the matter so we know the news is genuine. Fawad Chaudhry has a tough job.

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Sameer

Feb 21, 2019 01:30pm

Would've been cool. But I guess its an unneccessary hassle.

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M. Saeed

Feb 21, 2019 01:44pm

Already the Friday holiday was tried twice before and failed. It kills 3 international days of business and we are already heavily at loss in the international financial dealings. Strange we do not learn from previous mistakes.

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Gordon D. Walker

Feb 21, 2019 01:45pm

Back to work... Gordon D. Walker Canada

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Adnan Mazher Khan

Feb 21, 2019 01:50pm

I will welcome Friday as an additional off day only. Smiles!!

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jawaid

Feb 21, 2019 02:03pm

Sensible decision.

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Zeeshandxb

Feb 21, 2019 02:35pm

Its in govt favour to give friday as holiday as most people who work overseas are in middle east and secondly hardly any person is productive on fridays in pakistan. Its my observation since last 20 years

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Raza

Feb 21, 2019 02:37pm

Just check which media houses spread this false news. Arrest their editors and shut them down. We should stop media from spreading false propaganda not from speaking truth.

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KAlam

Feb 21, 2019 03:04pm

Good decision.

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Abdul Karim

Feb 21, 2019 03:12pm

Who works on Fridays in Pakistan anyway.

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Guzni

Feb 21, 2019 03:20pm

A mechanism should be put in place where such rumours are curtailed. Social media (facebook) was full with this news!

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Saaqib Mahmood

Feb 21, 2019 03:27pm

There is no harm if Friday is declared a weekly holiday instead of Sunday especially for the country's schools, colleges, and universities, as well as those other institutions and departments that don't do much international dealing or communication anyway. Friday as a half holiday is being grossly misused at so many places, with many people either not turning up for duty at all on a Friday or running away much earlier than the closing time on the pretext of the Friday prayers.

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Saaqib Mahmood

Feb 21, 2019 03:28pm

At those of the government colleges in the NWFP where the new BS programmes are running concurrently with the old BA / BSc and MA / MSc programmes, the BS classes run from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm; for some of the BS courses the classes are scheduled for the first three days of the week, whereas for the others the last three days. So on Fridays the classes should run upto 5:30 pm. But almost all of the college is empty from 12:00 pm onwards and remains so even after the Friday prayers timings are over!

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Ejaz

Feb 21, 2019 03:31pm

All days are the same. What matters is what we do in life and everyday.

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umar

Feb 21, 2019 03:47pm

Some sense at last............

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Proud Pak

Feb 21, 2019 03:48pm

We should have friday as day off, will be beneficial for all our brother in GCC.

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Saif Zulfiqar

Feb 21, 2019 03:51pm

Sunday the world markets are closed and financial institutions loose big money.

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Sceptic

Feb 21, 2019 04:37pm

Prime Minister Imran Khan has proclaimed to run Pakistan as Riyasat e Madina. It makes sense if Friday, the Islamic holy day, as the weekly off day.

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Vishal Kumar

Feb 21, 2019 05:52pm

You may consider Friday and Sunday both the days holiday in Govt. Departments.

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HonorBright

Feb 21, 2019 05:59pm

Why not declare two holidays a week ya habeebi?

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Amna Ali

Feb 21, 2019 06:29pm

Finally thank you so much for this it really means alot to me I can never thank you enough

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Awan

Feb 21, 2019 06:46pm

Just look at the priorities of this government.

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kamal

Feb 21, 2019 06:51pm

Make Friday, Saturday and Sunday as weekend. We are tired and working too much during week days.

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Amjad

Feb 21, 2019 07:04pm

Excellent idea friday and Saturday weekend

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Feb 21, 2019 07:15pm

Most of the world works Friday. Economic loss will be too much. Why we get boggle down with stupid controversy?

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Rashid Khan

Feb 21, 2019 07:15pm

Great idea rubbished by the minister. It would be welcomed by most of us to have weekend Fri & Sat.

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Sean

Feb 21, 2019 07:37pm

This goverment has done more in 8 months what previous goverments failed to do in years. All patwaris and waderas are hurt.

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Nick

Feb 21, 2019 07:47pm

Every day is a Sunday

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SHAHID SATTAR

Feb 21, 2019 07:55pm

At least you agree with your declared foes on the issue of retaining the weekly holiday on Sundays. After all the Americas and Europe are not to be ignored and we can't bear the costs of being cut off from their business schedule for four days a week. We do need their dollars, euros and sterling.

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Aamir

Feb 21, 2019 08:10pm

70 years on and we still have not decided on when our weekends...

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Janjua

Feb 21, 2019 08:18pm

Let Sunday a full and Friday a half holidays

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Sami

Feb 21, 2019 08:28pm

we are in such a confused status -can not make up our minds. So many people with nothing to do--this is what they come up with--conspiracy factories.

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Newborn

Feb 21, 2019 09:17pm

Imran may actually kick out Fawad. It seems so.

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Arif Jan

Feb 21, 2019 09:44pm

Friday, Saturday off, once and for all, please. Fridays are totally unproductive since most of the people start the mornings preparing for Jummah and than drag their feet back to work after Jummah. By making Friday off, you facilitate people in offering their Jummah and increase productivity at the same time.

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Aamir

Feb 21, 2019 10:40pm

IK should have said that, as I do not believe whatever Fawad says!

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Janjua

Feb 21, 2019 11:44pm

@Saaqib Mahmood, Weekly social gatherings, commitments, plans and shopping is not possible on Friday (if declared holiday) as people remain busy in preparation for juma prayer and most of the markets are also closed..

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Amir

Feb 22, 2019 02:22am

PTI name is under water for some of the characters in PTI i.e. Faisal Vawda , Chohan and Fawad CH

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Shame Shame

Feb 22, 2019 07:53am

@Abdul Karim, Who works in Pakistan anyway?

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