Punjab announces public holiday in Lahore on April 12

LAHORE: The Punjab government has declared a public holiday in Lahore on April 12, 2025, to mark the annual Mela Chiraghan, which celebrates the Urs of the 16th-century Sufi saint, Hazrat Shah Hussain. The Services and General Administration Department issued a notification confirming the holiday, specifying that it will apply across the entire Lahore district.

The notification clarified that the holiday will be observed in all sub-offices within Lahore, but it will not affect the Punjab Civil Secretariat, its affiliated departments, or regional offices.

Mela Chiraghan, known as the Festival of Lights, is a major cultural and spiritual event in Lahore, attracting both devotees and tourists from across the region. The festival takes place at the shrine of Shah Hussain and features a rich program of Sufi music, poetry recitations, and traditional ceremonies in honor of the revered saint.