The federal government of Pakistan has declared four days of public holidays for Eid-ul-Fitr 2026. The holidays will run from Friday, March 20, to Monday, March 23. These include Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
Authorities say the holidays are being granted to allow families to celebrate the festival comfortably. Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting for Muslims.
Expected Date of Eid
This year, Ramadan is expected to last the full 30 days. If this happens, Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to fall on Saturday, March 21. However, the final date will be confirmed by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee. The committee will officially announce the sighting of the crescent moon.
Deputy Director of the Meteorological Department, Anjum Nazir, explained that the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet on March 19 in Islamabad. He said the moon may not be visible on that day.
According to meteorological calculations, the moon will be born at 6:23 AM Pakistani time on March 19. By sunset, the moon will be around 12 hours old. Nazir said a moon this young cannot be seen with the naked eye. Even through telescopes, only a moon older than 14 hours can usually be sighted.
The department has also confirmed that this year, Ramadan is likely to complete 30 days. This means that the first day of Shawwal, or Eid-ul-Fitr, could be March 21, 2026. The Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will make the official declaration after moon sighting.
Officials urged citizens to follow announcements from religious authorities. Families are advised to plan their celebrations and travel according to the confirmed Eid date.
