The federal government has announced a public holiday on May 28 in observance of Youm-e-Takbeer.

A notification for the holiday has been issued by the Cabinet Division with the approval of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Youm-e-Takbeer commemorates the day Pakistan carried out successful nuclear tests in 1998.

Public offices including NADRA and the State Bank of Pakistan will remain closed on May 28. The holiday has also been notified by the Islamabad High Court, Supreme Court and Election Commission of Pakistan.

On this occasion, the PM stated that Youm-e-Takbeer reminds the Pakistani nation of its unity to make the country’s defense impregnable. On this day, the entire nation resolved to never compromise on the country’s defense by accepting any kind of external pressure, he added.

Shehbaz Sharif said that Youm-e-Takbeer reminds us of the political and defense forces uniting under one flag, the green crescent flag, to strengthen the country’s defense. He further said that Youm-e-Takbeer is a day to renew our pledge to always thwart the nefarious designs of external enemies as well as internal enemies who seek to endanger the country through politics of chaos.

The PM said that May 28, Youm-e-Takbeer, is a day to pay tribute to the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Army’s efforts to make Pakistan’s defense impregnable. Shehbaz also paid tribute to the scientists who played a vital role in initiating and continuing Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s Pakistan’s nuclear program.