Overview
- The Pakistan Meteorological Department stated there is no possibility of sighting the Shawwal moon anywhere in Pakistan on March 19.
- Astronomical data show the new moon will be born at 6:23am PST on March 19 and will be only 12–13 hours old by sunset, a window considered unfavorable for visibility.
- If the crescent is not seen on the 29th of Ramadan, the month will complete 30 days and Eid ul Fitr is expected on Saturday, March 21, subject to official confirmation.
- The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will convene to assess eyewitness reports before declaring the start of Shawwal and the Eid date.
- The forecast follows the PMD’s accurate guidance on the Ramadan moon earlier this month, and some institutions such as the University of the Punjab have issued holiday schedules aligned to the likely timeline.