Government Declares Official Eid ul-Fitr Holidays in Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved two official holidays for Eid ul-Fitr 2026, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Sunday.

The Eid ul-Fitr holidays will be observed on March 20 and March 21 across all government offices, covering both five-day and six-day work schedules, which will remain closed on Friday and Saturday. The notification was formally approved by the prime minister before the Cabinet Division issued the official directive.

The break will effectively extend for government employees, as March 22 falls on a Sunday and March 23 is already a public holiday in Pakistan, resulting in a four-day long weekend from Friday to Monday. This schedule allows public sector employees to enjoy an extended Eid break, combining the official holidays with the weekend and the national holiday.

Earlier, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) had predicted that Eid ul-Fitr 2026 in Pakistan is likely to fall on March 21, based on astronomical calculations regarding the Shawwal moon. According to SUPARCO, the Shawwal moon will be born on March 19 at 6:23 am, and by sunset, it will be approximately 12 hours and 41 minutes old.

SUPARCO added that along Pakistan’s coastal areas, the difference between sunset and moonset on March 19 will be about 28 minutes, though the chances of sighting the crescent on that evening are low. Based on these observations, the first day of Shawwal 1447 AH—and the likely day of Eid ul-Fitr—is expected to be Saturday, March 21, 2026.

The agency also noted that the final confirmation of the moon sighting will be announced by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, which is responsible for officially declaring the start of Islamic months in the country.