The Rawalpindi administration has declared April 9 and 10, 2026 as local holidays across the district.
According to a notification issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi on April 8, the holidays will be observed throughout the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi district.
The order was issued by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema under powers delegated by the Punjab government. However, the notification makes it clear that all emergency departments, institutions, and authorities will remain operational during the two-day closure.
The development comes shortly after similar local holidays were announced in Islamabad, where authorities have also ordered the closure of schools and colleges, restricted heavy vehicle movement, and shut several public hiking trails for the same dates.
Taken together, the measures in Islamabad and Rawalpindi point to extraordinary administrative and security arrangements in the twin cities ahead of expected high-level diplomatic activity later this week.
The two cities are widely believed to be preparing for official engagements linked to the reported US-Iran ceasefire and possible follow-up talks in Pakistan, which has fueled heightened security planning, movement restrictions, and temporary closures in key areas.
