Ramadan 2026 crescent Pakistan- LIVE UPDATES

2026-02-18 - 13:43

PESHAWAR: The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee meeting is underway at the Auqaf Department building in Peshawar under the chair of Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad for sighting of Ramadan moon, ARY News reported. Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad will announce the sighting of the Ramadan crescent today at the Auqaf Department building in Peshawar. While zonal and district committee meetings are also being held simultaneously at their respective headquarters. The zonal and district committee meetings are being held in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Quetta. Earlier, SUPARCO announced that the new moon of Ramadan 1447 AH was expected to be born on February 17 at 5:01 PM Pakistan Standard Time, increasing the likelihood of sighting the crescent the following evening. According to the agency’s astronomical assessment, by sunset on February 18, the moon’s age was approximately 25 hours and 48 minutes—a duration considered highly favorable for visibility. SUPARCO added that the time difference between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal belt was expected to be around 59 minutes, providing sufficient opportunity for sighting. “Based on key astronomical parameters, the chances of sighting the new moon with the naked eye on the evening of February 18 are very bright,” the statement said. “Consequently, the first day of Ramadan is likely to fall on February 19, 2026.” However, SUPARCO emphasized that the official start of the holy month is determined by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the country’s authorized body for moon sighting, after receiving and verifying testimonies from across Pakistan.