Federal govt contacts K-P over moon-sighting issue

Sardar Yousaf says meeting with provincial govt, ulema set for May 31

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has reached out to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to stave off the possibility of conflicting announcements over the start of the fasting month and the eventual celebration of Eidul Fitr in the country.

“I have contacted K-P Religious Affairs Minister Habibur Rahman so that we can evolve consensus over the age old issue of sighting the moon and celebrating two Eids in the country,” Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf told The Express Tribune during an event organised by his ministry in Islamabad on Tuesday.



The conflict over the onset of Ramazan and Eid day usually begins in K-P and especially from Masjid Qasim Khan in Peshawar, where evidence of sighting the moon, that signal the start of Islamic months, often contradicts the findings of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) – which is followed by the rest of the country. But Yousaf hoped that things could be different this year since the government aims to consult K-P religious affairs ministry and ulema to evolve consensus.

He added that a meeting between his ministry and ulema from K-P is scheduled for May 31 in which matters relating to sighting  of the moon will be discussed.



“During the meeting we will request the religious scholars of K-P to cooperate with the federal government,” Yousaf said. The ministry is already considering holding this year’s meeting of the RHC in K-P to sight the moon ahead of Ramazan.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2016.