Holiday on March 25

E-Paper | June 11, 2026

RAWALPINDI: The administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Monday announced local holiday in the twin cities on March 25 as the Joint Services (JS) Pakistan Day Parade has been rescheduled amid ongoing inclement weather and rains being forecast over the next two days.

The Pakistan Day Parade will now be held on March 25, as per programme and timings already specified.

An Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) media release on Monday also released its public service message on creating awareness among the general public for participating in the JS parade with strict adherence to the Covid-19 SOPs.

The message highlighted that March 23, was not only Pakistan Day rather a moment of national commitment and resolve demanding the people to remain firm, resolute and steadfast in all times whereas it was decided to celebrate this year’s Pakistan Day under strict Covid-19 SOPs.

It added that the parade participants were kept in a bio secure bubble to ensure least possibility of viral infection among the troops and other officials partaking in the parade.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2021

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realistic

Mar 23, 2021 03:51pm

Why to do it at all, there is COVID everywhere

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sincere pakistan

Mar 23, 2021 05:00pm

this is not motive of our Quaid. We can easily save millions of Dollar if we can cancel the parade and one day more closure of two big cities will be also contribute to earn more.

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Ali

Mar 23, 2021 05:36pm

Can’t believe it. The cost of the event on this poor nation? The covid situation? Nothing is stopping them.

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Fastrack

Mar 23, 2021 06:31pm

Why do Indians even try it in the comments section? And use funnier, conspicuous new names to convince us they're actually Pakistanis. What unending obsession!

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M. Abdullah

Mar 23, 2021 07:06pm

What a waste of national resources.. We could have made schools and hospitals out of the money spent on this useless exercise.

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Sayyar Khan

Mar 23, 2021 08:14pm

Yep holiday is needed once a year our Fauji run.

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Samih Khan (USA)

Mar 23, 2021 08:38pm

Even in the USA, we do not have such parades on our national day, except the small one we had last year in Washington, DC. Will the expenses comes from the defense budget?

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Syed A. Mateen

Mar 23, 2021 08:39pm

March 23 is a very hectic day for president as in morning he attend the Pakistan Day parade and then distribute awards to civilians and military officials in investiture ceremony which in evening. Weather became the reason to postpone and move Pakistan Day parade on March 25 which was a working day but later announced by the authorities as holiday in Islamabad. However, investiture ceremony is held as per schedule, but today’s ceremony is divided into different parts with a break in between.

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M. Emad

Mar 24, 2021 01:00am

Holiday on March 26 in Bangladesh ---- Independence-Victory Day Parade.

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