Eid-ul-Fitr 2026 announcement made in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, has announced that the Shawwal moon was not sighted anywhere across the country. Consequently, Eid ul Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday, March 21.

As the moon was not sighted, citizens will observe a 30th day of fasting, with Friday marking the final day of Ramadan.

Earlier, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee met in Islamabad to sight the Shawwal moon and determine the date for Eid ul Fitr.

The meeting was chaired by Maulana Azad, while zonal and district committees convened at their respective headquarters across the country.

Initial assessments had already suggested that the chances of sighting the Shawwal moon today were very low. The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) indicated that Eid ul Fitr 2026 was likely to fall on March 21, based on astronomical calculations.

SUPARCO stated that the Shawwal moon was “born” on Thursday at 6:23 AM. By sunset, the moon’s age was approximately 12 hours and 41 minutes—insufficient for naked-eye visibility. The space agency added that the time difference between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal areas was expected to be around 28 minutes on March 19, making a sighting difficult. Typically, the moon’s age must be at least 20 hours for a clear sighting.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved two official public holidays for the occasion. According to the notification, Eid ul Fitr holidays will be observed on March 20 (Friday) and March 21 (Saturday) across all government offices.

For many, the break will effectively be longer. Since March 22 falls on a Sunday and March 23 is already a public holiday (Pakistan Day), government employees will enjoy a four-day long weekend from Friday through Monday.