The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Saturday confirmed the sighting of the Zilqad moon, marking the beginning of the new Islamic month in Pakistan.
Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad announced that credible testimonies were received from various parts of the country, confirming the moon sighting. As a result, the first day of Zilqad will be observed on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
He noted that weather conditions differed across regions, with clear skies in some areas and cloud cover in others, but sufficient evidence was available to verify the sighting.
The committee also took into account astronomical data from SUPARCO, which indicated that the new moon was born on April 17 and that visibility on the evening of April 18 was highly likely.