ISLAMABAD – Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed in Pakistan on March 21, as the Shawwal moon was not sighted on Thursday.
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced the decision after its meeting in Islamabad to sight the Shawwal moon.
The session was chaired by Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.
Members of the committee, along with representatives from the Pakistan Meteorological Department and other departments, were in attendance.
Similar meetings were held across the country. In Lahore, the provincial Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting was held at the Auqaf building, while zonal committees were convened in Quetta, Karachi, and Peshawar to collect and review moon sighting reports.
According to the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the new moon was born at 6:23am on Thursday, March 19, 2026. By sunset, the moon’s age is expected to be around 12 hours and 41 minutes, which is considered insufficient for visibility.
Meteorological sources state that the moon’s age across Pakistan will remain below 13 hours on the 29th of Ramadan, whereas at least 18–20 hours are required for sighting. Additionally, the time gap between sunset and moonset will be around 26 minutes in Karachi and 30 minutes in Peshawar—well below the minimum 40 minutes needed for visibility.
Based on these conditions, the Pakistan Meteorological Department has indicated that the Shawwal moon is unlikely to be seen today. Eid-ul-Fitr is therefore expected to fall on Saturday, March 21, 2026, with the moon likely to be visible on the evening of March 20.
Earlier, both SUPARCO and the Meteorological Department had predicted a 30-day Ramadan this year due to poor moon sighting chances on March 19.
