Pakistan Railways to Operate Eid Special Trains

To accommodate the expected surge in passenger traffic during Eid ul Adha, Pakistan Railways (PR) Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has sanctioned the operation of five special trains originating from Lahore and other key cities.

According to a statement released on Monday, this initiative was undertaken in accordance with directives from Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

Schedule of Eid Special Trains:
  • Train 1: Departing from Karachi Cantt on June 2 at 1:00 PM, arriving in Lahore at 10:00 AM the following day.
  • Train 2: Departing from Quetta on June 3 at 10:00 AM, reaching Peshawar Cantt at 10:30 PM the next day.
  • Train 3: Departing from Lahore on June 3 at 5:00 PM, arriving at Karachi Cantt at 2:00 PM the next day.
  • Train 4: Departing from Karachi Cantt on June 3 at 7:30 PM, reaching Rawalpindi at 1:15 AM on June 5.
  • Train 5: Departing from Karachi Cantt on June 4, arriving at Lahore station at 5:30 PM the following day.

Eid ul Adha, observed on the 10th of Zil Hajj, coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage. Celebrations in Pakistan are anticipated to begin on June 17, based on predictions from the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco).

Suparco forecasts that the first day of Zil Hajj, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is likely to fall on May 29, contingent on the official moon sighting. This projection suggests Eid ul Adha will be observed on Monday, June 17.

The space agency indicated that the Zil Hajj moon will be born on May 27 at 8:02 AM, but its age at sunset will only be 11 hours and 34 minutes, significantly reducing the likelihood of it being visible across the country.

Eid ul Adha is one of the two major Islamic festivals, the other being Eid ul Fitr. The festivities typically extend over a three-day period.