KARACHI – Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has announced that the country will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday as the Shawwal moon has sighted in Pakistan.
The meeting was held in Karachi in the chair Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman while meetings of the zonal committees were taken place at their respective provincial headquarters.
Earlier on the day today, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday like the other Muslim countries.
The minister while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, confirmed the birth of Shawwal moon on Friday night and said that it is likely to be sighted today (Saturday).
“Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, and other Muslim countries will celebrate Eid tomorrow and according to the calendar prepared by science ministry, Eid-ul Fitr will be celebrated in Pakistan on Sunday,” he added.
He said that the moon of Shawwal will be visible in Sanghar, Badin, and Thatta, adding that the residents of the following cities can see the moon till 8:14 pm.
Chaudhry said that the science ministry has sent all recommendations to the federal government and the final decision regarding the Eid-ul-Fitr will be taken by the Prime Minister Office.
The Ruet e Hilal Committee session will be held on May 23 (today) to decide about the sighting of the Shawwal moon.
The meeting in Karachi will be chaired by the moon sighting body’s chairman Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman today.
Earlier, the Ministry of Religious Affairs had asked the Meteorological Office to refrain from moon forecasting. The ministry has maintained that the right is exclusively ordained for the Ruet e Hilal Committee.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had earlier said that there was a slight chance of sighting the moon of Shawwal 1441 AH on the evening of 23rd May i.e. on the 29th of Ramazan.
