The Federal government has announced two-day holiday on account of Youm-e-Ashura.

The announcement was made through a notification released on Friday (today).

Earlier, the KhyberPakhtunkwa government announced public holiday for Muharram 1.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee sighted the Muharram-ul-Haram moon, which rings in the new Islamic year, 1443 AH, last week.

Youm-e-Ashura will be marked on August 19.

A day after the Muharram moon was sighted, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) announced special guidelines to guard against the spread of COVID-19 during Muharram.

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden.

It is held to be the second holiest month after Ramadan.