Muharram moon not sighted, Ashura on Sept 21

Mufti Muneebur Rehman chaired meeting in Karachi to make the announcement

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The moon for Muharram-ul-Haram, which marks the advent of the Islamic new year, has not been sighted in the country and the Ashura would fall on September 21, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Monday.

Chairman of the committee Mufti Muneebur Rehman chaired the meeting at Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi for the sighting of the crescent. The zonal committees held their meetings simultaneously in Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar.

The meeting was also attended by the officials of ministry of religious affairs and interfaith harmony.



Earlier, the climate data processing centre of Pakistan Meteorological Department had predicted based on astronomical parameters that there slim chances of crescent's sighting.

Earlier, religious scholars belonging to different schools of thought unanimously agreed to a seven-point code of conduct issued by the ministry of religious affairs and inter-faith harmony to maintain sectarian harmony during the sacred month.

The code of conduct was agreed upon at a meeting presided over by the minister for religious affairs Noorul Haq Qadari and attended by religious clerics from different schools of thought. It suggests that all schools of thoughts will make sincere efforts to create an environment of tolerance, and respect for elders of all the sects.