Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, will observe a KP Muharram holiday on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, for 1st Muharram 1448 AH, the provincial government announced.
The Administration Department issued a notification saying government offices and public institutions across the province will remain closed on 1st Muharram. The holiday follows the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee’s decision on the Muharram moon.
Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said the Muharram crescent was not sighted on Monday. He announced that 1st Muharram 1448 AH will fall on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
The central moon-sighting meeting was held at Iqbal Hall, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore. Provincial and zonal committee meetings were also held in different cities across Pakistan.
Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said the committee received no credible testimony confirming the crescent sighting. The Islamic New Year will therefore begin on Wednesday.
Read: Muharram Moon Not Sighted, 1st Muharram Falls On June 17
The first day of Muharram marks the start of the Islamic New Year. It is also observed as the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA), the second Caliph of Islam.
The committee said 10th Muharram 1448 AH, or Ashura, will fall on Friday, June 26, 2026.
