Reporting snapshot · 18 February 2026. The committee's announcement fixed the start of Ramadan; this article reflects what was reported on the day.
What happened
Pakistan’s Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee confirmed on Wednesday 18 February 2026 that the crescent of Ramadan 1447 Hijri had been sighted, declaring that the first fast would be observed the following day, Thursday 19 February. “The moon of Ramadan 1447 Hijri has been sighted. Tomorrow, Thursday, will mark the beginning of Ramadan,” committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said while announcing the decision. The date 18 February was the 29th of Sha’ban, the month preceding Ramadan.
Zonal committees held parallel meetings in provincial capitals and collected eyewitness testimonies from across the country before the central body issued its ruling. According to the reported process, the committee first received confirmations from Dir and Sawabi, followed by six additional reports from Mohmand, while observers in Karachi also submitted verified sightings.
Why it matters
The announcement settles the start of the Islamic holy month for Muslims in Pakistan, who will now begin fasting from dawn to sunset. Media reports, citing regional forecasting, put daily fasting hours at roughly 12 to 13 hours at the outset, lengthening as the month progresses. The Pakistan Meteorological Department had forecast that skies would be clear in much of the northwestern plains, including Peshawar, while the moon — born on 17 February at about 5:01 pm Pakistan Standard Time — was expected to remain above the horizon for around 35 minutes.
Region-wise visibility on 18 February was projected until about 7:24 pm in Sindh, 7:08 pm in Punjab, 7:47 pm in Balochistan, 7:13 pm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6:58 pm in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 6:53 pm in Gilgit-Baltistan, with areas outside that list still able to sight the moon until their local moonset. The national space agency, SUPARCO, had also predicted that the crescent would likely be visible on 18 February, pointing to 19 February as the probable first day of fasting.
What comes next
With the start of Ramadan fixed for Thursday, Pakistan enters a month of pre-dawn and evening prayers and daily fasting that will culminate in Eid al-Fitr, whose date will in turn be determined by a fresh sighting of the Shawwal crescent. Officials said the weather for the month was expected to be pleasant, with temperatures forecast to rise from the second week of March.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a synthesis of published material, not eyewitness reporting. Sources were reviewed on 18 February 2026.
- Daily Pakistan — "Ramadan Moon Sighting Updates in Pakistan 2026"Published 18 Feb 2026 · Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad's announcement, the zonal sightings from Dir, Sawabi, Mohmand and Karachi, the Met Office visibility timings and the SUPARCO prediction.
