Quaid-e-Azam Day, 25 December: Jinnah’s Birthday Holiday

Quaid-e-Azam Day is on 25 December every year, the birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. The next one falls on Friday, December 25, 2026, 80 days from today. Jinnah was born on 25 December 1876, so this is his 150th birth anniversary. The day is a public holiday in Pakistan and is also Christmas Day.

A 150th anniversary is a landmark, so expect more official events, commemorative issues and programmes than usual.

Jinnah’s life in brief

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born in Karachi in 1876. He went to London as a young man, studied law at Lincoln’s Inn, and was called to the bar there. He returned to India and built a highly successful legal practice in Bombay.

He entered politics with the Indian National Congress and later joined the All-India Muslim League, which he went on to lead. For years he worked for Hindu-Muslim unity, but by the late 1930s he had become convinced that Muslims needed their own homeland. He presided over the 1940 Lahore session at which the Pakistan Resolution was passed.

When Pakistan became independent on 14 August 1947, Jinnah became its first Governor-General. He died in Karachi on 11 September 1948, just over a year later, and was buried there. His mausoleum, the Mazar-e-Quaid, is one of Karachi’s best-known landmarks.

A key figure in the freedom movement

Jinnah led the Muslim League through the decisive 1940s: the Lahore Resolution in 1940, the elections of 1945 to 1946 in which the League won most of the Muslim seats, and the negotiations with the British government and the Congress that ended in partition. He was known for his formal manner, his legal precision and his insistence on constitutional methods rather than street agitation.

As Governor-General he faced the huge task of setting up a new state with very few resources, while millions of refugees arrived. His speech to the Constituent Assembly on 11 August 1947 is among his best known, and is often cited in debates about the kind of country he hoped Pakistan would be.

What the title means

“Quaid-e-Azam” means “Great Leader”. It is the title by which Jinnah is known across Pakistan, and it is used officially. His motto, “Unity, Faith, Discipline”, is printed and painted widely, especially around 25 December and 14 August.

How the day is observed

• Mazar-e-Quaid: a change-of-guards ceremony is held at the mausoleum in Karachi, and national leaders lay wreaths and offer prayers.
• Gun salutes and prayers: the day traditionally begins with gun salutes and special prayers.
• Schools and seminars: schools, colleges and civil-society groups hold speeches and essay contests on Jinnah’s life, usually in the days before the holiday, since schools are already on winter break.
• Media: television and newspapers run special programmes and supplements.

A holiday shared with Christmas

Pakistan has a Christian community of a few million people, and 25 December is their biggest festival. Because the date is already a national holiday for Quaid-e-Azam Day, Christmas is a day off for everyone. Churches in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and other cities hold midnight and morning services, and many homes and churches are decorated with lights and stars.

Christian employees have often been given additional days around Christmas, such as 24 or 26 December, as optional holidays. Check the Cabinet Division notification for the year to see what applies. Many people in Pakistan greet each other with both “Happy Quaid Day” and “Merry Christmas” on the same morning.

Upcoming Quaid-e-Azam Days

The anniversary number is simply the year minus 1876. To work out exactly how old a person would be on any date, years, months and days, use the age calculator.

Counting down

The Quaid-e-Azam Day countdown shows the days left, and the Christmas countdown counts to the same date. Children waiting for Christmas often prefer the sleeps until Christmas page. For the rest of the year’s days off, see Pakistan public holidays in 2027.

Frequently asked questions