Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad looks through a telescope at the new moon. Photo: AFP
The Ruet-e-Hilal Central Committee on Sunday announced that the moon of Zilhajj 1447 AH was sighted in the country and Eidul Azha would be observed on May 27.
According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ruet-e-Hilal Central Committee meeting on 29 Zilhajj, May 17, was held at the Meteorological Department, Karachi.
The meeting was chaired by Ruet-e-Hilal Central Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, while the meetings of the zonal moon sighting committee were held at the provincial headquarters.
Zonal committees met in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has also issued a notification in this regard.
If the Zilhajj moon is sighted on May 17, Eidul Azha will fall on Wednesday, May 27, while if the moon is not sighted, Eid will be observed on Thursday, May 28.
On May 12, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) released its forecast for moon sighting Zilhajj 1447 AH, indicating that Eidul Azha is expected to be observed on May 27.
According to SUPARCO, the new moon of Zilhajj 1447 AH is expected to be born on May 17, 2026 at 1:01 am Pakistan Standard Time (PST).
It was stated that on May 17, 2026, at sunset, the age of the new moon would be approximately 18 hours and 30 minutes.
Read: Eidul Azha expected to fall on May 27: SUPARCO
The commission said that a time gap of about 60 minutes between sunset and moonset is expected in coastal areas of Pakistan.
Based on these astronomical parameters, SUPARCO said the chances of observing the Zilhajj moon on the evening of May 17, 2026 are considered favorable, provided that weather conditions remain clear and visibility near the horizon is good.
It states that the 1st Zilhajj 1447 Hijri is expected to fall on Monday, May 18, 2026, marking the end of the month of Zilhajj.
