3-year jail term on false moon sighting report

NA passes Ruet e Hilal Committee reconstitution bill

ISLAMABAD:

In order to end the seasonal controversies over the sighting of crescent, the National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Pakistan Ruet e Hilal Bill 2022 Bill – aimed at reconstituting the body – and imposed penalties on those who make announcement regarding the sighting of moon before the official announcement.

According to the bill, a 15-member federal committee will be established that will function as the Federal Ruet e Hilal Committee.

The panel will comprise two ulemas each from the four provinces and one each from Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. It will also have representation from ministries of science and technology and religious affairs and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco). Grade 20 officers will be a part of this body.

According to the bill, ulema included in the committee will be required to have a master degree in Islamiat and 15 years of experience, beside a degree of Shahadatul Almiya approved by the HEC.

The bill, while banning all unofficial committees, stated that the term of the federal body will be three years.

Also read: NA passes bill to penalise contempt of parliament

The committee chairperson will be appointed on a rotational basis from the provinces and the federation and will be responsible for the decision of moon sighting.

Violators of Act will be fined Rs500,000 whereas those making false evidence of moon sighting shall be imprisoned for three years and fined Rs50,000.

Any TV channel which makes announcement about the moon sighting before the official announcement by the federal committee will be fined rupees one million or its licence will be revoked, which will be a punishable and non-bailable and non-compoundable offence.

Under the bill, apart from the federal committee, provincial and district committees will also be constituted.

The provincial Ruet e Hilal Committee will comprise 13 members, Islamabad-based committee seven, while the district committees will consist of six members in which scholars from all schools of thought will be included.

According to the bill, a master degree in Islamiat with a 10-year experience in Sharia is mandatory for the members of Islamabad and provincial committees whereas the members of district committees will be required to have a master degree in Islamiat with one year of experience in Sharia.

The bill will now be tabled in the Senate for approval.

Earlier, MNA Aliya Kamran presented a call attention notice on the shortage of food in the country.
Minister for National Food Security Tariq Bashir Cheema replied that he did not agree with the report that was presented on the matter and rejected the impression that the country faced any issue of food security.

He said the country had a record production of wheat this year, adding that there will be no need to import the commodity next year.

He further noted that a surplus production of rice and cotton was recorded last year.

Later, the National Assembly session was adjourned till June 9.