The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) announced on Wednesday that the Shawwal crescent is unlikely to be sighted on March 19, making March 21 the probable date for Eid-ul-Fitr in Pakistan.
SUPARCO said the new moon of Shawwal 1447 AH will be born on March 19 at 06:23 PST. By sunset, the moon will be only 12 hours and 41 minutes old, with a gap of about 28 minutes between sunset and moonset along the country’s coastal areas, making visibility difficult.
Based on these astronomical calculations, the crescent is expected to remain unseen on the evening of March 19. Therefore, 1st Shawwal 1447 AH is likely to fall on Saturday, March 21, marking the end of Ramzan.
The final confirmation, however, will come from the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, which will verify sightings from across Pakistan before announcing the official date of Eid.
