ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Wednesday that the crescent moon for the holy month of Ramadan has been sighted in the country, confirming that the month of fasting will begin on Thursday, February 19.
The announcement followed a meeting of the central and zonal moon-sighting committees, which simultaneously convened in Peshawar, Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, and Quetta.
Ministry of Science and Technology, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), and Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) were also part of the committee and assisted the body in moon sighting.
Chairing the meeting in Peshawar, the moon sighting committee Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad stated that the committee had received multiple testimonies of moon sightings from various districts, including Islamabad, Peshawar, Karachi, Quetta, Chaman, Lahore, Mardan, Charsadda, Waziristan and Swabi. Officials from the Departments of Meteorology and Science and Technology also attended.
“Therefore, it was decided with consensus that the first day of Ramazan would be on Thursday,” Maulana Azad said.
Meanwhile, the crescent moon was also sighted in Bangladesh and India.
Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan observed their first day of fasting on Wednesday after the crescent moon was sighted on Tuesday night.
The countries reporting no sighting on Tuesday included Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, Japan, Turkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei.
With the sighting confirmed, the first Tarawih prayers will be offered tonight, marking the start of Ramadan.
The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar is observed by Muslims worldwide as a time of spiritual reflection, self-discipline, and increased devotion.
The faithful fast from dawn to sunset, abstaining from food and drink. Each day’s fast ends with iftar, followed by nightly prayers.
Ramadan in Pakistan is also marked by a strong tradition of charity and community service, with roadside food stalls and public food drives set up to provide meals for those in need.
Ramadan in South Asia, Central Asia and Middle East
Meanwhile, the Ramadan moon was also sighted in India, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries to mark the beginning of the holy month.
Earlier, the Ramadan crescent was sighted in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Gulf states on Tuesday evening, with the first day of fasting observed on February 18.
In countries where the moon was not sighted—including Turkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and several Central Asian nations—the month of Shaaban completed 30 days, with fasting beginning on February 19.
The Muslim world welcomes Ramadan with deep religious devotion, as over a billion believers fast to practice patience, self-discipline, and generosity.
Islamic months last 29 or 30 days, with their start and end determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, so Ramadan does not fall on the same Gregorian date each year.
As the ninth month of the 12-month Islamic calendar — which is about 10 days shorter than the Gregorian year due to its lunar basis — Ramadan shifts annually across the Gregorian calendar.
