ISLAMABAD: The meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee for sighting the crescent of Ramadan-ul-Mubarik 1444 AH will be held on Wednesday in the building of the Auqaf Department, Peshawar.
However, Zonal/ District Ruet-e-Hilal Committees meetings would be held at their respective headquarters simultaneously. Similarly, the Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting, Islamabad Capital Territory, would be held at the Religious Affairs Ministry, said an official notification.
Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Moulana Abdul Khabir Azad would announce the decision of moon sighting or otherwise subsequently based on information received to this end.
It is worth mentioning here that the Ruet committee, besides members of the Ruet committee, would be comprised of religious scholars, representatives of Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Pakistan Meteorological Department, and Ministry of Science and Technology.
Earlier, Secretary of Religious Affairs Dr Aftab Akbar Durrani expressed the hope that the sighting of the moon of the holy month of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak would be announced in consensus with all stakeholders.
Dr Aftab said there was a proper mechanism for sighting the moon, and the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee had always taken provinces into confidence over the matter.
Secretary Durrani said the committee had never disrespected anyone and performed its job mandate professionally.
Ramadan likely to start on March 23
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Metrological Department had forecast the possibility of a Ramadan moon sighting on March 22 (29th Sha’ban 1444 AH).
PMD said the new moon of Ramadan 1444 AH was estimated to be born on the crossing conjunction point at 22-23 PST on Tuesday, March 21. “The weather will be clear or partly cloudy in most areas of the country on March 22,” the PMD forecast the weather condition for the particular day across the country.
It is worth mentioning here that after facing severe criticism from the public, the interim government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had directed for immediate withdrawal of a tender notice released by the Auqaf Department to arrange a lavish dinner for the meeting of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee scheduled to be held for Ramadan moon sighting in the provincial capital.
