KARACHI – The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is all set to hold a meeting tomorrow (May 17) to sight the moon of Zilhajj 2026.
The date of Eidul Adha 2026 will be officially confirmed following the moon sighting.
According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the meeting will be held at the Pakistan Meteorological Department in Karachi, with the committee’s chairman, Maulana Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, presiding over the session.
Zonal and district-level Ruet-e-Hilal committees will also convene at their respective headquarters on the same evening.
The final announcement regarding the moon sighting will be made by Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.
Earlier, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has shared its lunar forecast for Islamic month of Zilhajj, hinting that the Eidul Adha 2026 may fall in last week of May.
According to the forecast, the Zilhajj moon is likely to be born on May 17, setting the stage for the Islamic month’s beginning shortly after. While the prediction has sparked early excitement, the final confirmation will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
SUPARCO has released a detailed astronomical forecast indicating that Eidul Azha 2026 is likely to be observed on May 27, 2026, subject to official confirmation.
Zilhajj Moon Birth Update
According to SUPARCO’s calculations, the new moon of Zilhajj 1447 AH is expected to be born on May 17, 2026 at 1:01am Pakistan Standard Time (PST). By sunset on the same day, the moon will be approximately 18 hours and 30 minutes old, a key factor in determining its visibility.
The commission further highlighted that in Pakistan’s coastal regions, there will be an estimated 60-minute gap between sunset and moonset, creating potentially favourable conditions for sighting the crescent—provided the skies remain clear and atmospheric visibility is ideal.
Eidul Azha Likely Dates in Pakistan
Based on these astronomical indicators, SUPARCO has projected that the first day of Zilhajj 1447 AH is likely to begin on May 18, 2026, which places Eidul Azha around May 27, 2026.
Expected Holidays
Normally, Eid holidays in Pakistan begin a day before the festival to allow people enough time to travel to their hometowns.
If the government follows the usual pattern, the Eidul Azha 2026 holidays are expected to start on May 26 (Tuesday) and continue until May 29 (Friday). Since the break coincides with the weekend (Saturday and Sunday), some government and private sector employees may enjoy a total of six consecutive holidays.
Last year, Pakistan witnessed large-scale Qurbani during Eid al-Adha, with approximately 7.418 million animals sacrificed nationwide, according to the Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA). The figure marks a modest increase of 1.62% compared to the previous year, highlighting continued strong participation in the annual Islamic tradition.
