Pakish Events & Festivals

Sibi Mela

Month: February

Location: Sibi, Balochistan

Details: A historic festival featuring horse and cattle shows, folk dances, and local handicrafts.

Cholistan Desert Rally

Month: February

Location: Cholistan Desert (Derawar Fort, Bahawalpur)

Details: An annual premier off-road motor sports event featuring cross-country racing, cultural shows, and camel safaris.

Basant (Spring Festival)

Month: February – March

Location: Nationwide (Major festivities in Lahore and Islamabad)

Details: Celebrates the arrival of spring with flower shows, seasonal food, and cultural performances

Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar

Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar

Location: Sehwan Sharif, Sindh

Details: A deeply intense spiritual experience commemorating the 13th-century Sufi saint. Foreigners are often drawn to the ecstatic "Dhamaal" dance performed to the rhythmic beat of massive drums.

Associated Events: Continuous sessions of Qawwali and traditional Malakhro (wrestling) matches.

Holi - Festival of Colors

Month: March

Location: Karachi, Lahore, and Tharparkar/Umerkot, Sindh

Details: A vibrant Hindu spring festival where participants gather to celebrate the arrival of the season by throwing "Gulal" (colored powder) and dancing.

Associated Events: Local cultural centers and universities often host organized Holi events for the general public.

Pakistan Day Parade

Month: March (23rd)

Location: Shakarparian Parade Ground, Islamabad.

Ceremony: A massive military and cultural parade featuring aerobatics, missile displays, and themed floats.

Attendance: Visitors may attend, but security passes are required in advance, usually obtained through official government or military channels.

Eid-ul-Fitr

Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar

Location: Nationwide; major congregations at Badshahi Mosque (Lahore) and Faisal Mosque (Islamabad)

Details: Celebrated after the month of Ramzan, this festival marks the end of fasting with communal prayers and charity.

Associated Events: "Chand Raat" festivities the night before, featuring henna (Mehendi) stalls and glass bangle markets.

Mela Chiraghan (Festival of Lights)

Month: Last Friday of March

Location: Lahore (Shrine of Madho Lal Hussain)

Details: A three-day Sufi festival marked by lighting lamps and traditional "Dhamaal" dance.

Chilam Joshi Festival

Month: May

Location: Kalash Valleys (Chitral)

Details: A vibrant festival of the Kalash people featuring traditional dances and rituals to welcome summer.

Eid-ul-Adha

Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar

Location: Nationwide; local neighborhoods and open prayer grounds

Details: The festival of sacrifice during the month of Zilhaj, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's (A.S) devotion. Families sacrifice livestock and distribute the meat to the needy.

Associated Events: Large-scale livestock markets (Bakra Mandis) that become hubs of activity in the weeks leading up to the holiday.

Shandur Polo Festival

Month: July

Location: Shandur Pass (between Gilgit and Chitral)

Details: The world's highest polo ground hosts a thrilling tournament accompanied by folk music and camping

Kalam Summer Festival

Month: July – August

Location: Swat Valley

Details: Organized to promote tourism, featuring paragliding, handicraft displays, and musical nights.

Independence Day

Independence Day "Change of Guard"

Month: August (14th)

Location: Mazar-e-Quaid (Karachi) and Allama Iqbal’s Tomb (Lahore).

Ceremony: A prestigious ceremony where the guard of honor is rotated between different branches of the military.

Attendance: Open for public viewing from designated areas near the mausoleums.

Urs of Data Ganj Bakhsh

Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar

Location: Data Darbar, Lahore

Details: The largest Sufi gathering in Lahore, featuring extensive illuminations and sessions of Qawwali (traditional singing) at the shrine of Ali Hujwiri.

Associated Events: Large-scale communal kitchens (Langar) providing free meals and milk to all visitors.

Sarfaranga Cold Desert Rally

Month: August (Typically mid-August)

Location: Sarfaranga Cold Desert, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan

Details: This is a high-altitude off-road racing event held in one of the highest cold deserts in the world. It brings together national and international racers to compete across the unique sandy and rocky terrain of the Shigar Valley, surrounded by the Karakoram mountains.

Associated Events: The rally is part of a larger festival that includes traditional Zakh (raft) racing in the Indus River, local polo matches, fire shows, and a "tent village" for tourists. It also features a food street showcasing organic Balti cuisine and local musical performances.

Eid Milad-un-Nabi

Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar

Location: Nationwide; central processions in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi

Details: Celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through large public processions and the recitation of devotional poetry.

Associated Events: Elaborate green illuminations on public buildings and mosques across the country.

Urs of Shah Abdul Bhittai

Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar

Location: Bhit Shah, Sindh

Details: A spiritual gathering known for the hauntingly beautiful "Shah jo Risalo" music performed by traditional singers in the serene courtyard of the blue-tiled shrine.

Associated Events: Literary conferences and folk crafts exhibitions showcasing Sindhi heritage.

Lok Mela

Month: October or November

Location: Islamabad (Lok Virsa)

Details: A week-long national folk festival where artisans and performers from every province showcase their heritage.

IDEAS Defense Exhibition

IDEAS - International Defense Exhibition & Seminar (November)

Location: Various Army Garrisons and Air Force Bases (e.g., Fortress Stadium Lahore, PAF Base Masroor).

Ceremony: Public displays of military hardware, tanks, and aircraft; often includes short air shows or para-jumping demonstrations.

Guru Nanak's Gurpurab

Month: November (Full Moon day)

Location: Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur

Details: The birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism is celebrated with the "Nagar Kirtan" (procession) and continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Associated Events: Shrines are illuminated at night, and elaborate fireworks displays take place at the birthplace of Guru Nanak.

Jashan-e-Gilgit

Month: November (Main ceremony on November 1st)

Location: Gilgit City, Gilgit-Baltistan

Details: This festival commemorates the independence of Gilgit-Baltistan from the Dogra rule in 1947. The day starts with a formal flag-hoisting ceremony and a civil-military parade at the Chinar Bagh, where wreaths are laid at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada (Martyrs' Memorial).

Associated Events: The week-long celebrations feature traditional polo tournaments at the historic Aga Khan Shahi Polo Ground, folk dances (such as the Sword Dance), and musical performances. There are also handicraft exhibitions and stalls featuring local dried fruits and traditional Balti and Gilgiti cuisine.

Chomas Festival (Choimus)

Month: December (Typically mid-to-late December)

Location: Kalash Valleys (Bumburet, Rumbur, and Birir), Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Details: This is the most important and grandest festival of the Kalash people, marking the winter solstice and the end of the harvest year. It is a deeply spiritual time involving rituals to welcome the new year, purification ceremonies for men and women, and traditional songs and dances performed around large bonfires in the "Jastakhan" (community halls).

Associated Events: The festival features the baking of special bread, animal sacrifices, and the "Cha" (torchlight procession). It is also a significant time for tribal social gatherings and the announcement of marriages, offering a rare and intimate look into the ancient Kalash culture for visitors who brave the winter cold.

Christmas

Month: December (Peak celebrations on Dec 24–25)

Location: Major Cathedrals in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad

Details: Christian communities celebrate with grandly decorated cathedrals and midnight masses, which are open to respectful visitors and observers.

Associated Events: Christmas markets appear in local neighborhoods, and many major hotels host tree-lighting ceremonies.

Pakish-Indian Border Flag Lowering Ceremony

Frequency: Daily

Location: Wagah Border (Lahore): The most famous ceremony; starts approximately 30–45 minutes before sunset.

Details: A daily military practice that the security forces of Pakistan (Sutlej Rangers) and India (Border Security Force) have jointly followed since 1959. It features synchronized high-stepping maneuvers and the simultaneous lowering of the national flags.

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