Eid holidays likely to be extended to six days

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is considering to extend declared five public holidays to six on the occasion of Eidul Fitr.

It is likely that if approved the holidays will begin on Thursday April 20, instead on the following day till Tuesday, April 25.

The Ministry of Interior has already announced notification for five-day holidays. The Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council (RHRC) said that Eidul Fitr is likely to be celebrated across the country this year on Saturday, April 22 resultantly Friday, April 21 would be Jumat ul Widah.

The committee’s meeting is set to convene on Thursday, April 20, in order to sight the Shawwal moon.

The experts are of the view that birth of moon is expected to occur on Thursday, April 20, at 9:13am Pakistan time. On the evening of the 29th of Ramazan, the moon’s age at sunset should be more than 19 hours for sighting. However, in all areas of Pakistan, it will be less than 10 hours. The difference between sunset and moonset, which should be more than 40 minutes, will only be 21 minutes in Peshawar, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Charsadda, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Quetta, and Jiwani, and 20 minutes in Lahore and Karachi.