February 17, 2026
Chances of Ramadan crescent sighting on Feb 18, says PMD
The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts a strong possibility of sighting the Ramadan crescent on February 18, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Clear skies are expected, making it an important date for Ramadan preparations.
February 17, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has indicated a possibility of sighting the Ramadan moon on February 18, particularly in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar.
The announcement comes as the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is set to meet in Peshawar tomorrow to review moon sighting reports and determine the start of Ramadan.
According to the Met Department, clear skies are expected over the plains of KP, including Peshawar, while upper areas of the province may experience partly cloudy conditions. The department noted that by tomorrow evening, the moon’s age will exceed 19 hours and it is expected to remain visible on the horizon for around 35 minutes.
There are also chances of crescent visibility in some areas of Balochistan and Sindh. In an earlier advisory to the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Research and Reference Wing, the PMD said the new moon of Ramadan 1447 AH will be born on February 17 at 5:01pm (PST), with astronomical data suggesting a fair likelihood of sighting on the evening of February 18, corresponding to 29th Shaban 1447 AH.
The department’s Climate Data Processing Centre has forecast fair to partly cloudy weather across most parts of the country on the expected evening of sighting. It also shared region-wise moonset timings for February 18, stating that the moon is likely to remain visible until 7:24pm in Sindh, 7:08pm in Punjab, 7:47pm in Balochistan, 7:13pm in KP, 6:58pm in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 6:53pm in Gilgit-Baltistan.
As per tradition, the central committee will convene on the 29th of Shaban, while zonal committees across the country will collect and assess testimonies before an official announcement is made. Religious scholars from various schools of thought are expected to attend the meeting.
Separately, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission has also forecast that the crescent is likely to be visible on February 18, making February 19 the probable first day of fasting in Pakistan.
