Ramazan begins tomorrow as moon sighted in Pakistan
Ramazan moon sighted in Karachi on Monday. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD AZEEM/EXPRESS
The Ramazan moon has been sighted in Pakistan and the holy month will commence from tomorrow (Sunday), the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Saturday evening.
The announcement was made after the moon sighting committee met in Peshawar with its head Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad in chair.
“Testimonies of moon sighting received from many places in Pakistan as sky remained clear,” Maulana Khabir said while announcing the decision.
"With the help of Allah Almighty, the nation will fast simultaneously from April 3," he added.
Calling for unity among the people, Azad said that the entire nation looks towards Ulema for guidance.
The provincial and district moon sighting committees also simultaneously held meetings in their respective areas. According to initial reports, the crescent moon was quite visible in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
For the past several years, the nation had been surrounded by the controversy related to the sighting of the moon at the start and culmination of Ramazan. The disagreement divides the residents of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas from the rest of the country resulting in two different dates for the celebration of Eid.
Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had also said that the Ramazan moon was likely to be sighted on Saturday, April 2 and the holy month would commence from Sunday, April 3.
Also read: Ramazan likely to begin from April 3: Met office
It said chances of sighting the Ramazan moon were bright as clear skies were expected in most parts of the country on April 2 while cloudy weather can be witnessed in some areas.
The holy month of Ramazan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and signifies a month devoted to worship, fasting and reflection in the Islamic faith.
The month commemorates the first revelation to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the annual month-long fast forms one of the five pillars of Islam.
Fasting from sunrise to sunset during the holy month is obligatory to all adult Muslims.