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The federal government has announced a public holiday across Pakistan on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the holiday for 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal. The government has also issued an official notification confirming the decision. According to the notification, Wednesday, August 26, 2026, will be observed as a public holiday across the country. Government offices and institutions covered by the notification will remain closed on the day. The holiday will allow people to observe Eid Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ and participate in religious gatherings and other activities. Eid Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ is observed every year on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Special religious programmes, processions and gatherings are held in different parts of Pakistan on the occasion. The announcement of the public holiday comes as preparations for the religious occasion continue across the country. Authorities are also expected to make security and traffic arrangements for major gatherings and processions.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has promised a comprehensive development package for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), saying the region will receive modern infrastructure, improved healthcare and better public services if his party wins the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections. Addressing a public gathering in Muzaffarabad, Nawaz Sharif said AJK has not received the level of development it deserves despite its importance. He said many parts of Pakistan have witnessed major infrastructure projects, but similar progress has not reached Azad Kashmir. The former prime minister questioned why a modern highway connecting Kohala and Muzaffarabad had still not been completed. He said better road infrastructure is essential for economic growth, tourism and improved connectivity across the region. Nawaz recalled that during his previous government, a motorway project linking Mansehra, Muzaffarabad and Mirpur had been approved. He said the project would have transformed the region by improving transportation, encouraging investment and creating employment opportunities, but it remained unfinished after his government left office. He expressed regret over the delay in completing several development schemes initiated by the PML-N, saying valuable years had been lost. He pledged that if the party returns to power in AJK, all pending projects would be completed without delay. Nawaz also made a symbolic political statement by saying he would ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to appoint him as the prime minister of Azad Kashmir if the PML-N wins the elections, so he could personally supervise the region’s development projects. He added that even if he does not assume that role, he will regularly visit AJK to monitor progress and ensure that promises made to the public are fulfilled. The PML-N leader announced several development initiatives for the region. He said 10 green electric buses would soon begin operating in Muzaffarabad to improve public transport. He also announced that 15 mobile hospitals would be introduced to provide medical services to people living in remote and mountainous areas. He said no resident should have to travel long distances for basic healthcare. Better hospitals, schools, colleges and universities would remain among the party’s top priorities if elected. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who also addressed the gathering, promised to extend Punjab’s development model to Azad Kashmir. She said the PML-N government has introduced major reforms in public transport, healthcare, education and social welfare in Punjab, and similar initiatives would be launched in AJK. Maryam announced that electric buses, mobile hospitals and several welfare programmes would be introduced in the region. She also pledged support for low-income families, widows, persons with disabilities and young entrepreneurs through various public welfare schemes. She urged voters to compare the governance performance of different political parties before casting their votes. According to her, the development achieved in Punjab demonstrates the PML-N’s ability to deliver major public projects. The Punjab chief minister also criticised political opponents for failing to resolve the region’s long-standing problems despite being in government. She said the people of Azad Kashmir deserve better roads, modern healthcare, quality education and greater employment opportunities. During the rally, Nawaz Sharif also displayed party unity by inviting AJK PML-N President Shah Ghulam Qadir onto the stage and raising his hand before party workers and supporters. The gesture was widely viewed as a sign of confidence in the party’s leadership ahead of the July 27 AJK Legislative Assembly elections.