KARACHI: In one of his couplets, famous poet Urfi says, “Though the night has passed there is dawn making it appear as if the night has set in again.”
This seems to be the most apt poetic description of the extended Eid holidays stretching into an over week-long vacation with the addition of two weekly holidays.
The government had announced three holidays for Eidul Azha from Monday October 6 to Wednesday October 8. The three-day holidays followed Saturday and Sunday, the weekly day offs observed not only by the federal government but also by almost all the multinational companies as well as many national companies.
By Wednesday (Oct 8), the last day of Eid holidays, the extended holidays starting Saturday (Oct 4) stretched into a five-day long holidays. However, the ‘slumber’ continued when a small number of officers showed up at the government offices. Public transportation also remained thin on Thursday, the day the public servants were supposed to go back to work after 5-day holidays. A few who did show up, left early to enjoy the Eid siesta.
The situation improved, but just a little on Friday with attendance still remaining thin at the public offices. Though slightly more staff and officials joined duty on Friday, they depicted a casual and laid-back attitude as they used most of the office time to trade Eid greetings and wishes with colleagues. The all-pervading slumber at the government offices was so thick that “it could be cut with a knife”.
And the more lucky ones who joined their offices on Friday were those who look forward to yet another two-day weekend on Saturday and Sunday.
In short, the work at the public offices in particular and private businesses in general would pick up the regular pace starting Monday (Oct 13) after the 11-day extended holidays.
Anyone who visited a government office on October 9 and 10 would vouch for the validity of the scenario described above.
It seems that we have become a nation of holidays.
