Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad searches for the new moon through the telescope. Photo: AFP
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Sunday that the moon of Zilhajj 1447 AH had been sighted in the country and that Eidul Azha would be observed on May 27.
According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting on Zilhajj 29, May 17, was held at the Meteorological Department in Karachi.
The meeting was chaired by Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee president Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, while the zonal moon sighting committee meetings were held at the provincial headquarters.
Zonal committees were held 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) issued its forecast for the sighting of the moon Zilhajj 1447 AH, stating that Eidul Azha is expected to be observed on May 27.
According to SUPARCO, the new moon of Zilhajj 1447 AH is expected to rise on May 17, 2026, at 1:01 am Pakistan Standard Time (PST).
It said that on May 17, 2026, at sunset, the age of the new moon would be approximately 18 hours and 30 minutes.
Read: Eidul Azha likely to fall on May 27: SUPARCO
The commission stated that a time gap of around 60 minutes is expected between moonset and moonset in the coastal areas of Pakistan.
Based on these astronomical parameters, SUPARCO said that the chances of sighting the moon Zilhajj on the evening of May 17, 2026 are considered favorable, provided that weather conditions remain clear and visibility near the horizon is good.
He said that the 1st Zilhajj 1447 Hijri is expected to fall on Monday, May 18, 2026, marking the end of the month of Zilhajj.
