The federal government has announced two public holidays on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division of Pakistan on Sunday.
The notification states that March 20 and March 21, 2026, will be observed as public holidays across the country.
Since March 22 falls on Sunday, which is already a weekly holiday for most offices, and March 23 is a national holiday observed as Pakistan Day, many government offices are expected to remain closed for four consecutive days.
“In continuation of the Cabinet Division’s circular dated January 19, 2026, specifying public and optional holidays for the year 2026, the Prime Minister has been pleased to declare March 20 and 21, 2026 (Friday and Saturday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr for offices observing both five- and six-day working weeks,” the notification said.
Meanwhile, experts have suggested that Eid ul Fitr is likely to fall on March 21, with Pakistan expected to complete a 30-day month of Ramadan this year.
In a statement, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said the new moon of Shawwal 1447 AH is expected to be born on March 19, 2026, at 6:23 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time.
“At sunset on March 19, the moon’s age will be approximately 12 hours and 41 minutes, with an estimated 28-minute interval between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal belt,” the statement noted.
However, the space agency emphasized that the final decision regarding the sighting of the Shawwal moon and the official announcement of Eid will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
