Metro53 - Peshawar (Web Desk): Moon-sighting procedures for the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan have been completed in Pakistan, and the first fast will be observed tomorrow, February 19, 2026.
The meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee was held in Peshawar, under the chairmanship of Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad. Members of the central and zonal Ruet-e-Hilal committees attended the meeting along with Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Hafiz Abdul Qudoos.
Representatives from SUPARCO, including spokesperson Shaukat Ullah, officials from the Pakistan Meteorological Department including Dr Hassan Ali Baig, and Ministry of Science and Technology representative Zain-ul-Abideen were also present.
The committee chairman appealed to the public to participate in moon sighting and announced that, God willing, Ramadan would begin simultaneously across the country this year.
According to Mufti Atiq Ullah, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee received around 40 testimonies, including several from Upper Dir and Mohmand districts.
A spokesperson for SUPARCO stated that the moon was born on February 17, 2026, at 5:01 pm, and at sunset its age was approximately 25 hours and 48 minutes, making moon sighting possible today.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department said that clear weather in Peshawar increased the chances of moon sighting, while cloudy conditions in Lahore and surrounding areas reduced visibility.
Meanwhile, the Ramadan moon has already been sighted in Bangladesh and India, where the first fast will also be observed on February 19.
