The federal government on Thursday strongly condemned the circulation of a fake notification claiming May 16 had been declared a public holiday in observance of Youm-e-Tashakur to honour the armed forces’ recent victory under Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos.

A fabricated document, falsely attributed to the Cabinet Division, has been widely shared on social media. It incorrectly stated that all government offices, educational institutions, and autonomous bodies would remain closed on Thursday, May 16, in celebration of a national Day of Gratitude.

However, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Fact Checker platform has categorically labelled the notification as “FAKE NEWS”, warning the public against sharing or believing unverified information.

“Disseminating #FakeNews is not only unethical and illegal but also a disservice to the nation,” the ministry said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “It is the responsibility of everyone to reject irresponsible behaviour.”

The ministry urged citizens to rely only on official channels for information regarding public holidays and government decisions. No official notification has been issued regarding a holiday on May 16.

While the government is commemorating Youm-e-Tashakkur with various symbolic events and tributes to the armed forces, these observances do not include a nationwide holiday.