PESHAWAR – Police in northwestern Pakistan registered a case under PECA Act against a citizen who made derogatory posts about religious scholars on social media after announcement of Ramadan moon.
It all started as Ramadan moon was not sighted in Bannu, and thus no official announcement was made by zonal committee of Ruet body, which prompted accused to share a video and social media post, in which he used harsh language to criticize the scholars who had not declared starting of Ramadan from March 1 Saturday.
As the clip went viral, causing unwanted attention, Maulana Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi sought legal action, saying accused used inappropriate and insulting words against the scholars on Facebook. The complaint further stated that the accused claimed the moon had been visible for two days but it was not announced, leading to criticism.
Amid outrage, police took swift action and registered the case against the individual. Investigations are currently underway, with the police urging masses to maintain sensitivity on religious issues and avoid making statements that could invite trouble for them.
Ruet body led by Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, announced that Ramadan moon was not sighted in Pakistan. As a result, the first fast of Ramadan will be observed on Sunday, March 2, 2025. No testimonies confirming the moon’s sighting were received from across the country during the committee’s meeting in Peshawar.
