The federal government has officially announced public holidays for Eidul Fitr 2026. According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved two holidays for the festival.

The notification states that Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21, will be public holidays. These holidays will apply to offices that follow both five-day and six-day working schedules.

Experts say Eidul Fitr is most likely to be observed on March 21 this year. If the prediction proves correct, Muslims in Pakistan will complete a full 30-day fast during Ramadan before celebrating Eid.

According to the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, also known as SUPARCO, the new moon of Shawwal 1447 AH is expected to be born on March 19, 2026, at 06:23 PST.

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SUPARCO explained that at sunset on March 19, the moon’s age will be about 12 hours and 41 minutes. There will also be an estimated 28-minute gap between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal areas, which may help in moon sighting.

However, the final decision about the Eid moon will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Pakistan, which is responsible for officially announcing the sighting of the crescent across the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways has also made special arrangements to help people travel to their hometowns before Eid. The department has announced four special trains to manage the expected rush of passengers.

The first Eid special train will leave Lahore for Karachi on March 16. The second train will depart from Quetta to Rawalpindi on March 17.

On the same day, the third special train will run from Karachi to Peshawar. The fourth and final Eid special train will depart from Karachi to Lahore on March 18.

Railway officials said these special trains are being arranged to ensure safe, timely and comfortable travel for passengers during the busy Eid holidays.