Web Desk: Authorities in Pakistan confirmed the sighting of the Shawwal moon on Friday, marking the end of Ramadan, as the country prepares to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Saturday.
Meanwhile, several countries across Asia including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman and India will also observe Eid on March 21, aligning the festive calendar across much of the region.
Senior political leaders and officials are set to celebrate Eid in various parts of the country, with many choosing their hometowns or key urban centers.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will offer Eid prayers in Raiwind. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will celebrate the occasion in Lahore, where Hamza Shehbaz, Salman Shehbaz and Attaullah Tarar are also expected to mark the festival.
In Punjab’s other cities, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah will offer Eid prayers in Faisalabad, while Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will do so in Sialkot. The Governor of Punjab is scheduled to pray at the Badshahi Mosque, and Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan will celebrate in Khudian Khas.
Elsewhere, veteran politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, along with Pervez Elahi, Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, will celebrate Eid in Gujrat.
In Lahore, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman and Ali Pervaiz Malik are also scheduled to offer Eid prayers.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur is expected to celebrate Eid in his ancestral area of Bara in Khyber district. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi will offer prayers in Dera Ismail Khan.
Additionally, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati will celebrate in Mansehra, while Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Justice S.M. Atiq Shah will mark the occasion in his native district of Charsadda.
As a result of the moon sighting, markets, mosques and public spaces across Pakistan have intensified preparations for Eid celebrations. Families are making final arrangements, while authorities have heightened security and logistical measures to accommodate large congregations expected on Saturday.
The announcement brings a close to the holy month of fasting and signals the start of nationwide festivities marked by prayers, charity and communal gatherings.
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