Eid 2026: Pakistan Meteorological Department predict possible date

ISLAMABAD: People are often keen to know whether the sacred month of Ramadan will last 29 or 30 days. In this regard, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a prediction concerning the sighting of the Shawal moon or or Eid Ul Fitr date in the country , ARY News reported.

On Tuesday, the Met Department predicted that the Shawal moon is unlikely to be sighted on the 29th of Ramadan.

Officials explained that the new moon will be born at 6:23 AM on March 19, meaning its age by sunset will only be 12 to 13 hours.

Because the moon will not be old enough for a clear sighting, the department stated it is highly improbable that the Shawal moon will be visible on March 19.

Earlier, The Ramadan 1447 AH moon was sighted on February 18 night after the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee received testimonies from numerous locations across the country.

The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee meeting was held at the Auqaf Department building in Peshawar under the chairmanship of Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad for the sighting of the Ramadan moon, ARY News reported.

A member of the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee apprised that as many as 40 testimonies have been received by the Committee from Swabi, Dir, Muhimand, Batgram, Chaman and Karachi in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan and Sindh.

The member also apprised that six testimonies from Muhimand and 15 testimonies from Chaman Balochistan while one from Karachi have also been recieved to the committee.

These testimonies were verified by the committee.

Islamabad and Lahore zonal committees have informed the central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee that Ramadan moon was not sighted in both the cities as the duration for moon sighting ended.

Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad has announced the sighting of the Ramadan crescent today at the Auqaf Department building in Peshawar. While zonal and district committee meetings were held simultaneously at their respective headquarters.

The zonal and district committee meetings were held in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Quetta.

Earlier, SUPARCO announced that the new moon of Ramadan 1447 AH was expected to be born on February 17 at 5:01 PM Pakistan Standard Time, increasing the likelihood of sighting the crescent the following evening.

According to the agency’s astronomical assessment, by sunset on February 18, the moon’s age was approximately 25 hours and 48 minutes—a duration considered highly favorable for visibility. SUPARCO added that the time difference between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal belt was expected to be around 59 minutes, providing sufficient opportunity for sighting.

“Based on key astronomical parameters, the chances of sighting the new moon with the naked eye on the evening of February 18 are very bright,” the statement said. “Consequently, the first day of Ramadan is likely to fall on February 19, 2026.”

However, SUPARCO emphasized that the official start of the holy month is determined by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the country’s authorized body for moon sighting, after receiving and verifying testimonies from across Pakistan.