Web Desk: Federal government has announced two public holidays for the upcoming Eid ul Fitr festival, potentially creating an extended break for many government employees across the country.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division of Pakistan on Sunday, March 20 and March 21, 2026, will be observed as public holidays nationwide to mark Eid ul Fitr.
The notification stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the holidays for government offices operating under both five-day and six-day work schedules.
“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, as public holidays on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr,” the notice said.
Meanwhile, the timing of the holidays could effectively extend the break for many public offices. March 22 falls on Sunday, the regular weekly holiday for most government departments, while March 23 is already observed as Pakistan Day.
As a result, many government institutions are expected to remain closed for four consecutive days from March 20 through March 23.
Separately, experts say Eid ul Fitr is likely to be celebrated on March 21 this year, suggesting that Pakistan will complete a full 30 days of the fasting month of Ramadan.
In a statement, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission said the new moon of Shawwal 1447 AH is expected to form on March 19 at 6:23 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time.
The space agency said that by sunset on March 19, the moon will be around 12 hours and 41 minutes old. It added that along Pakistan’s coastal areas, the gap between sunset and moonset is expected to be about 28 minutes.
However, officials emphasized that astronomical projections do not determine the official date of the holiday.
The final announcement on the Shawwal moon sighting and the start of Eid will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the country’s official body responsible for verifying the moon sighting.
