Govt announces Eid ul Fitr 2026 holidays

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced holidays on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr, a notification from the Cabinet Division said on Sunday.

The Cabinet Division announced the holiday after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21, as public holidays on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr.

The holidays have been announced for offices observing both five- and six-day working weeks.

Experts have suggested that Eid ul Fitr is likely to fall on March 21, with Pakistanis expected to observe a 30-day Ramadan.

"The new moon of Shawwal 1447 AH is expected to be born on March 19, 2026, at 06:23 PST," the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said in a statement.

"At the time of sunset on March 19, 2026, the age of the new moon will be approximately 12 hours and 41 minutes, with an estimated 28-minute interval between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal belt," it added.

However, Suparco said the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Pakistan will make the final decision regarding the sighting of the crescent and the commencement of Eid ul Fitr across the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways has announced the operation of four special trains to facilitate passengers travelling to their hometowns across the country ahead of Eid ul Fitr.

A Pakistan Railways spokesperson said the first Eid special train will depart from Lahore to Karachi on March 16. The second train will leave Quetta for Rawalpindi on March 17.

The third Eid special train will operate from Karachi to Peshawar on the same day.

According to the spokesperson, the fourth special train will run from Karachi to Lahore on March 18 to help accommodate the surge in passenger traffic during the holiday period.

The spokesperson added that the special Eid train operations reflect the department’s commitment to serving passengers and ensuring safe, timely and convenient travel during the busy festive season.