ISLAMABAD: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is set to meet in Islamabad today to sight the Shawwal moon, which will mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid-ul-Fitr.
The meeting will be held at the religious affairs ministry and will be presided over by Ruet-e-Halal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, according to a statement from the ministry.
The zonal committees will also hold meetings at designated locations across the country to sight the moon.
The Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council Secretary General Khalid Aijaz has ruled out the possibility of moon sighting on April 20, saying that the crescent marking the beginning of Shawwal will be sighted following the completion of 30 days of Ramadan.
Therefore, Eid-ul-Fitr will fall on April 22, Saturday.
Low chances of Eid on Friday
Aijaz also forecasted that the new moon will born at 9:13am on Thursday April 20, and its age will be less than 10 hours that day.
He further added that for the moon crescent to be sighted, its duration should be over 19 hours, and even if the sky is clear on Thursday, the moon would not be spotted.
Therefore, any testimony received on Thursday April 20 will be false, and the holy month of Ramadan will last for 30 days.
The federal government has approved a five-day Eid holiday from April 21 to April 25.
The moon sighting committees across the country will make an official announcement after the sighting of the Shawwal moon.
Muslims across the country are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the moon sighting, as it marks the end of a month-long fasting period during which they refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.
The Eid celebrations will begin with the offering of Eid prayers followed by a day of festivities and feasting with family and friends.
