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The Cabinet has approved a continuous 7-day holiday for government officials and employees in observance of the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Adha. However, offices will remain open for two days prior to Eid, namely May 23 and 24.
This holiday was approved during a Cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat on Thursday (May 7). The information was confirmed in a press release sent by the Cabinet Division late at night.
The press release stated that the government holiday for holy Eid-ul-Adha has been declared from May 25 to May 31. Prior to this, offices will remain open as usual on May 23 and 24 (Saturday and Sunday).
The draft of the ‘National Public Toilet Policy 2026’ was also approved at the meeting. The Local Government Division is the initiator of this policy.
The Cabinet Division’s press release stated that the primary objectives of the ‘National Public Toilet Policy 2026’ are to increase public awareness regarding the use, maintenance, and cleanliness of public toilets; to improve public health and overall cleanliness standards by ensuring the availability of hygienic and quality public toilet facilities nationwide; to ensure user-friendly toilet facilities for women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and marginalized communities; to ensure effective management models and funding for the long-term functionality and sustainability of the public toilet system; and to establish effective mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating, and updating the policy as needed.
The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Local Government Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will undertake necessary activities to raise awareness among students about hygienic toilet usage rules. Development projects related to physical infrastructure must include the construction of separate toilets for women. The construction of septic tanks for the storage of all toilet waste is mandatory to ensure that toilet waste does not fall into rivers, canals, ponds, and other water bodies, causing water pollution.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will take necessary initiatives to create public awareness regarding toilet use and hygiene. The Local Government Division and the Road Transport and Highways Division will jointly undertake activities to establish separate public toilets for men and women at appropriate locations along roads and highways. A time-bound action plan based on ministries/divisions must be prepared for the implementation of this policy.
The draft policy, incorporating these matters, was approved at the Cabinet meeting.
