Sindh cabinet approves Monday holiday for Diwali

Sindh's provincial cabinet has approved a public holiday on Monday for Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated by the province's Hindu community. ProPakistani reported that the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by the Sindh chief minister at the Chief Minister's House in Karachi.

Both outlets that carried the announcement put the holiday on Monday. The reports were filed on Tuesday, 3 November, and placed the holiday on the following Monday. Neither gave a calendar date for it, and neither said when the provincial government would issue the formal notification.

According to ProPakistani, the cabinet described the holiday as a way to respect and promote the cultural and religious traditions of minorities living in Sindh.

ProPakistani described Diwali as the Hindu community's most important festival, known as the festival of lights, when homes, temples and streets are illuminated. The outlet reported that the festival is marked by Hindu families in cities across Sindh and in other parts of Pakistan.

Samaa also reported the holiday, in a brief item that gave the day but carried no details of the cabinet meeting or of the government's stated reason for the decision.

The reports did not say whether Monday's holiday covers all provincial government offices and schools, or whether it applies more widely across the province. They also did not name the minister or department that will issue the notification.

Sindh's cabinet meets at the Chief Minister's House, where provincial ministers sign off on administrative decisions before they are published as official notifications.