Independence Day is a public holiday in Pakistan, observed on August 14 yearly. The holiday celebrates the anniversary of the country's independence from British rule on August 14, 1947. Pakistan, as a part of the British Indian Empire, was ruled by the British since 1858. However, due to international and domestic factors such as World War II and the riots in Britain, the government decided to end the British rule of the Indian Subcontinent. In June 1947, the British government announced dividing British India into two independent states.
Louis Mountbatten, a British Royal Navy officer, and statesman, was appointed Viceroy of India and oversaw the Partition of British India into India and Pakistan. He chose August 15, 1947, as the date of the power transfer because that is the 2nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Still, he decided to have the power transfer ceremony to Pakistan one day earlier to attend both ceremonies: August 14 for the Dominion of Pakistan and August 15 for the ceremony of the Dominion of India.
On August 14, 1947, the Dominion of Pakistan became independent, and in 1956, the constitution made Pakistan an Islamic democratic country: the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The following is the list of Independence Day in Pakistan from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Independence Day | Aug 14, 2022 | Sunday |
| Independence Day | Aug 14, 2023 | Monday |
| Independence Day | Aug 14, 2024 | Wednesday |
| Independence Day | Aug 14, 2025 | Thursday |
| Independence Day | Aug 14, 2026 | Friday |
Please check more public holidays in Pakistan: