Shawwal moon sighted, Eidul Fitr on Sunday, May 24: Ruet-e-Hilal Committee

PM Imran urges nation to observe this Eid in a different manner from the usual celebratory style

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Saturday announced that the Shawwal moon has been sighted in Pakistan and the Eidul Fitr will be celebrated throughout the country on Sunday, May 24 (tomorrow).

The announcement was made by Mufti Muneebur Rehman who presided over a meeting of the moon-sighting committee in Karachi on Saturday.

Rehman said the final decision about the moon-sighting was taken after much deliberation as several testimonies were received from Balochistan and other parts of the country.

He urged the people to strictly adhere to the Covid-19 precautionary guidelines issued by medical experts on the occasion of Eid .

Soon after the announcement, Prime Minister Imran Khan urged the nation to observe this Eid in a different manner from the usual celebratory style.

“I want our nation to observe this Eid in a different manner from the usual celebratory style. First, let us think of & pray for all those families who have been deprived of their loved ones by the plane crash tragedy & all those who have lost their lives to Covid-19,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.

I want our nation to observe this Eid in a different manner from the usual celebratory style. First, let us think of & pray for all those families who have been deprived of their loved ones by the plane crash tragedy & all those who have lost their lives to COVID19.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 23, 2020

The Rehman's announcement came in affirmation to Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary's claim that the Eidul Fitr would fall on May 24.

Addressing the media earlier today, the minister had said that sighting of the moon has always been controversial in the past. “Religious festivals should promote unity and harmony in the country instead of discord,” he added.

Responding to his statements, the chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee demanded the PM Imran to take action against Fawad for "interfering" into the affairs of moon sighting committee.



Fawad had said that it takes a little more than 29 days for the moon to complete its orbit around the earth. The height of the moon should be 6.5 degrees and there should be a difference of around 38 minutes between sunset and moon-rise, whereas the minimum angle of view of the moon should be 9 degrees.

To this, Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri had said that the final verdict for the commencement of Eidul Fitr would be taken by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

He further said that science and technology could only assist in sighting the moon but a final decision would only be taken by the religious scholars.

Meanwhile, Central Rooyat-e-Hilal Committee Darul Uloom Deoband in India announced that the Shawwal moon could not be sighted throughout the country and therefore, Eidul Fitr will fall on May 25.