Eidul Fitr | Pakistan

Chairman of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, announced that the Shawwal moon was not sighted anywhere in the country, confirming that Eidul Fitr will be observed on Saturday.

On the special instructions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, it has been decided to pay salaries to federal government employees before Eidul Fitr holidays.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted unsettled weather conditions around Eidul Fitr, with cloudy skies and widespread rainfall expected in different parts of the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday called for greater unity and brotherhood among Muslims as the country marked Eidul Fitr in “testing times”. In his post on X, PM Shehbaz wrote: “Even as we celebrate Eid with gratitude and joy, our hearts remain heavy for the people of Gaza and Kashmir, as well as our brothers and sisters affected by the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and the region. “Today, more than ever, we need greater unity within the Ummah so that we may collectively uphold justice, dignity, and lasting peace for all. At a moment of uncertainty and instability, our greatest strength lies in unity,” he said. The premier extended his heartfelt greetings to the people of Pakistan and Muslims around the world, noting that the day “reminds us of the enduring values of compassion, unity and generosity that lie at the heart of our faith”. “On this auspicious occasion, we are also reminded of the strength and responsibility of the Muslim Ummah — bound together by s...

Muslims in several countries are celebrating Eidul Fitr for 1447 AH, marking the end of the month of Ramazan. One of Islam’s most significant holidays, Eidul Fitr is typically celebrated by feasting and gift-giving. Dawn takes a look at some of the scenes around the world as Muslims offered Eid prayers and indulged in festivities, while those in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran observed the occasion amid Israeli bombing. Muslims offer Eidul Fitr prayers, in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, on March 21, 2026. — AFP Women react as they take a selfie after attending an Eidul Fitr prayer, at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore on March 21, 2026. — Reuters A child looks on as Muslims offer Eidul Fitr prayers, in Rawalpindi on March 21, 2026. — AFP Muslim children hug each other after offering Eidul Fitr prayers, at a mosque in Karachi on March 21, 2026. — AFP Muslims offer Eidul Fitr prayers at Alamgir Mosque (R) along the banks of the river Ganges in Varanasi on March 21, 2026. — AFP Muslims gather to offer prayers during a foggy morni...

KARACHI: Three children were among seven injured by “stray bullets” across the city last night on the eve of Eidul Fitr, police said on Saturday. According to the Karachi Police Media Cell (KPMC), which issued separate statements for each incident, the victims included three children, three men and a woman. Four of the injured were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH), two to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), and one to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK). An eight-year-old boy was “injured from [a] stray bullet near Dawood Chowrangi” and taken to JPMC for medical treatment, said the police. A nine-year-old girl was “injured by [a] stray bullet at Janjal Goth near Imran Bakery” and taken to ASH. At Lyari’s Shah Baig Lane, police said a stray bullet injured a 13-year-old boy, who was then taken to CHK. Another incident from a stray bullet occurred at Shah Latif Daud Chali near Radio Pakistan Ground, wounding an 18-year-old. In similar incidents, a 29-year-old was injured in Islamia Colony, while a 32-year-...

Hundreds of Muslim worshippers held Eidul Fitr prayers at the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday, with Israel closing access to the Al-Aqsa mosque and other holy sites over its war on Iran. “Today, Al-Aqsa has been taken from us. It’s a sad and painful Ramazan,” Wajdi Mohammed Shweiki, a silver-haired Palestinian man in his 60s, told AFP. “It’s a catastrophic situation for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for Palestinians in general and for all Muslims across the globe.” Since Israel and the United States started the war on Iran on February 28, Israeli authorities have closed access to Jerusalem’s world-renowned holy sites over security concerns — Al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians and the Western Wall for Jews. As Iranian missile barrages head towards Israel, the authorities have banned gatherings of more than 50 people nationwide to limit potential casualties. In a sign of the risks, police said this week that shrapnel fragments had fallen on the Old City. Research...

The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee said on Thursday that the Shawwal moon had not been sighted and Eidul Fitr would be celebrated on March 21 (Saturday). Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad made the announcement while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. The press conference followed a meeting of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, and zonal and district committee meetings at their respective headquarters. He said that the skies remained cloudy over most parts of Pakistan, while in some areas it was clear. He said that no credible moon sighting testimonies were received. The Ruet-i-Hilal Committee chairman said that the 1st of Shawwal would fall on Saturday. Subsequently, a notification was also issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, which stated that Shawwal moon had not been sighted and the month would commence from March 21. However, there were reports that Eid would be celebrated in some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur, Bannu and Lakk...

Saudi Arabia announced that Eidul Fitr would be celebrated on Friday, according to a statement published by state media. “The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Thursday, is the completion of the 30th day of the month of Ramazan, and that Friday is the day of the Blessed Eidul Fitr,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. Across the Muslim world, Ramazan festivities this year were overshadowed by the ongoing war in the Middle East, triggered by the US and Israel’s attack on Iran. The Gulf region has been pummelled with repeated strikes by Iran in a retaliatory blitz, with airports, residential areas, energy installations and military bases targeted with ballistic missiles and drones. Last week, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) forecast that Eidul Fitr was expected to fall on March 21 as the chances of sighting the Shawwal moon on March 19 were low. However, it said that the final decision would be made by the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee. Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorolog...

The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has forecast that Eidul Fitr is expected to fall on March 21 as the chances of sighting the Shawwal moon on March 19 remain low. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Suparco said that the new moon of Shawwal 1447 AH was expected to be born on March 19 at 6:23am. “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. Based on these astronomical parameters, the statement said, the “chances of sighting the Shawwal crescent on the evening of March 19 2026 are low”. “Consequently, 1st Shawwal 1447 AH is anticipated to fall on Saturday, March 21, 2026, marking the conclusion of the holy month of Ramazan,” it added. However, it continued, “the final decision regarding the sighting of the Shawwal crescent and the commencement of Eidul Fitr 1447 AH will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal ...

The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have decided to disburse salaries and pensions to government employees and pensioners in advance ahead of Eidul Fitr 2026.

Predictions regarding the likely dates for the sighting of the Ramazan moon and the observance of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha in Pakistan have been shared by the Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council, based on astronomical calculations.