ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is currently underway in Islamabad for the sighting of the Shawwal moon.
According to details, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee’s meeting – under the chairmanship of Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad – is underway to sight the Shawwal moon and ascertain whether Eidul Fitr falls on Friday or Saturday.
Representatives of the Department of Meteorology and Sparco are also present in the meeting, wherein the committee will collect testimonials from all over the country regarding the sighting of the moon.
Other zonal and district committees are also meeting simultaneously at their respective headquarters.
Maulana Azad will hold a press conference and make an announcement once moon sighting testimonies are received.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the zonal committee in Lahore and Karachi has declared that the Shawwal moon was not sighted in the city.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) released the coordinates and chances for sighting the moon.
“According to astronomical parameters, there is no chance of sighting the new moon of Shawwal, 1444 AH on the evening of April 20, 2023 i.e on 29th Ramazan, 1444 AH,” the department said.
Eidul Fitr is a significant festival in the Islamic calendar, celebrated at the end of the Holy month of Ramazan.
The Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council (RHRC) said that chances of Eidul Fitr 2023 falling on April 21, Friday were very low as the new crescent will be born at 9:13 am on April 20 and its age will be less than 10 hours that day.
Mufti Khalid Ijaz said that Eidul Fitr 2023 will most likely be celebrated on April 22 after completing 30 fasting days of the holy month of Ramazan.
It is unlikely that the Shawwal moon will be sighted on April 21 evening, he had said.
