The central moon sighting committee of Pakistan — Ruet-e-Hilal Committee — meeting is underway in Islamabad on Tuesday (today) to collect testimonies of crescent sightings to ascertain the date of Eid ul Fitr.
Meanwhile, the zonal body committees meetings are being held simultaneously in all four provincial capitals — Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta — to sight the Shawwal crescent.
The zonal and central committees will collect moon sighting testimonies from different parts of the provinces.
Testimonies for Shawwal moon have not been received from Karachi Lahore and Quetta, the respective zonal committees said adding that final decision of the moon sighting will be announced by the central committee.
However, the central moon sighting committee said it received moon sighting testimonies from different parts of the country including Sheikhupura.
If the crescent is sighted today, Eid ul Fitr would fall on Wednesday after the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan followed by the major festival to be celebrated on the first day of Shawwal.
Moon sighting committee’s chairman Maulana Khabir Azad is presiding over the meeting in the federal capital, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Besides the members of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the officials of the meteorology department, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and the Ministry of Science and Technology too are also in attendance.
High chances of moon sighting
The new moon was born last night at 11:21pm and its age would be between 19 and 20 hours in the evening, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
It further stated that sky in southern areas of the country was expected to remain clear, and in the northern areas it could be cloudy, increasing chances of Shawwal crescent sightings today.
KSA, UAE to celebrate Eid tomorrow
It is pertinent to mention here that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia, Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday, as the Shawwal moon was not sighted in those countries.
Hence, the holy month will last there for a full 30 days, with Tuesday being the last day of Ramadan — the holiest month in the Muslim calendar.
