ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has announced a two-day holiday on Mar. 20-21 on account of the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Fitr, the cabinet division said on Sunday.
Three-day Eid Al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims worldwide. In Pakistan, Ramadan began on Feb. 19, a day after most other Muslims nations, and the first day of Eid is expected to fall on Mar. 20 or 21.
Pakistan’s central moon sighting committee, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, spots the crescent for the month of Shawwal and declares Eid dates in advance.
“The Prime Minister has been pleased to declare 20th and 21st March, 2026 (Friday and Saturday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr,” the cabinet division said in a notification.
Eid Al-Fitr is one of two major Muslim festivals, the other being Eid Al-Adha, which is marked by the slaughtering of animals such as sheep and goats whose meat is shared among family and friends and donated to the poor.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s national space agency said the crescent for the month of Shawwal is expected to be born on Mar. 19.
“At the time of sunset on 19 March 2026, the age of the new moon will be approximately 12 hours and 41 minutes, with an estimated 28-minute interval between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal belt,” Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) said on March 11.
“Based on these astronomical parameters, the chances of sighting the Shawwal crescent on the evening of 19 March 2026 are low.”
SUPARCO said the first day of Shawwal was expected to fall on Mar. 21, however, the agency added that a final decision would be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
