ISLAMABAD:The federal government announced on Thursday a five-day holiday on the occasion of Eidul Fitr for government organisations, semi-government organisations, banks, and educational institutions.

Eidul Fitr holidays were approved on the recommendation of the Cabinet Division, according to which the holidays would run from April 21 to April 25 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday). The interior ministry would issue a notification in this regard later.

Earlier, the astronomers had predicted that Eidul Fitr was likely to fall on April 22 in the country. The prediction was based on the occurrence of a solar eclipse that had been set to take place on Thursday, (April 20), starting at 6:30am and ending at 12 noon.

The eclipse would happen on the 29th of the moon date, and the new moon would appear the next day. Astronomers stated that the new moon would not be visible in countries where the solar eclipse occurred on April 20.