In what can be describe as a rare occurrence, Pakistanis may be celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr this year with Muslims in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and various other Islamic countries on August 31 (Wednesday).
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Office, astronomical data indicates that there is a chance for sighting the new moon of Shawwal, 1432 AH in Pakistan on the evening of August 30. While according to a UAE-based newspaper, the Islamic Crescent Observation Project (ICOP) has said that Eid-ul-Fitr this year will be celebrated in most of the Muslim countries on August 31 (Wednesday).
The ICOP has also said that in some countries where Ramadan started on August 1 will have 29-day Ramadan and there the moon sighting will be possible on August 29. According to the ICOP, these regions include some countries in the Middle East, north and central Asia and northern Africa. The newspaper said that in the rest of the Muslim world the moon-sighting would be less likely since the time for sighting moon would be shorter. And only in countries that do not depend on the sighting of the crescent, Eid will be on Tuesday (August 30).
Pakistan Met office says that weather will be clear and only partly cloudy in southern parts of the country on Tuesday evening and therefore the moon can be sighted on August 31. This unity among Muslims worldwide would be a rarity when they would be celebrating Eid on the same day.