ISLAMABAD: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet today (Thursday) to sight the Shawwal moon and determine the date of Eid al-Fitr.
The meeting will take place in Islamabad after Asr prayers, while zonal and provincial committees will also convene across the country in line with standard procedures.
According to officials, today marks the 29th fast of Ramadan in Pakistan. However, astronomical predictions suggest that the chances of sighting the Shawwal crescent are very low.
Experts from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and SUPARCO state that the new moon was born at 6:23 AM on March 19. By sunset, the moon’s age will be approximately 12 to 13 hours—insufficient for visibility with the naked eye, as typically a minimum age of 20 to 24 hours is required.
Additionally, the time difference between sunset and moonset is expected to be around 28 minutes, which is considered inadequate for clear sighting.
Based on these scientific estimates, Ramadan in Pakistan is likely to complete 30 days, making Eid al-Fitr expected on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and several other Gulf countries have already announced that the Shawwal moon was not sighted on March 18. As a result, they will complete 30 days of Ramadan and celebrate Eid on Friday, March 20.
The final announcement regarding moon sighting in Pakistan will be made by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after reviewing testimonies from across the country.
