What happened
The federal government declared 20 and 21 March 2026 (Friday and Saturday) as public holidays for offices on the occasion of Eidul Fitr, according to a Cabinet Division notification issued on Sunday 15 March and reported by Dawn. The notification said the prime minister had approved the holidays “both for offices observing five- and six-day work weeks”.
The announcement, made before the Shawwal crescent has been sighted, was paired with an official forecast. The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said Eidul Fitr was expected to fall on 21 March because the chances of sighting the Shawwal moon on the evening of 19 March remained low. The Pakistan Meteorological Department had earlier predicted that Ramazan would run for 30 days this year and that the moon would probably not be visible on 19 March.
Both agencies stressed that the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee remains the sole competent authority to announce the beginning of Islamic months, based on witness testimonies and verified observations from across the country. The final decision on Eidul Fitr therefore rests with the committee, and the holiday notification is a planning measure rather than a religious ruling.
The government also moved to ease travel for the holiday period. Pakistan Railways decided to operate four special trains from major stations: the first was to depart Lahore for Karachi on Monday, the second Quetta for Rawalpindi on Tuesday, the third Karachi for Peshawar on 17 March, and the fourth Karachi for Lahore on 18 March.
Why it matters
Eidul Fitr is one of the country’s largest religious and commercial occasions, and this year it arrives during a severe fuel and cost-of-living crisis. With petrol and diesel prices frozen only through a government subsidy and schools in some areas shifting online to conserve energy, the holiday travel plans of millions of families are directly affected by transport costs. Fixing the public holidays on 20 and 21 March gives government offices, banks, courts and schools a firm administrative calendar while the religious date is still formally pending.
What remains uncertain
The holiday notification does not settle when Eid will actually be observed. If the Shawwal moon is sighted on the evening of 19 March, Eid would fall on 20 March, and if it is not sighted then, Eid would fall on 21 March as forecast. The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee has not yet issued its decision on the Shawwal crescent.
Sources & reporting notes
This article is a synthesis of published reporting, not eyewitness reconstruction. Sources were reviewed on 15 March 2026.
- Dawn — Govt announces Eid holidays for offices from March 20-2115 March 2026 · Day-of report on the Cabinet Division notification, the Suparco and PMD forecasts, the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee's authority and Pakistan Railways' four special Eid trains.
