Moonsighting body to convene in Pesahwar

The federal government has decided to convene the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee in Peshawar to sight the Ramazan moon, aiming for a unified start to the holy month across Pakistan.

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the meeting to determine the beginning of Ramazan 1446 Hijri will be held on Feb 28.

Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad will preside over the session.

Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal committees will hold separate meetings in their respective regions, but the final decision on moon sighting will come from the central body.

The Religious Affairs Ministry will oversee the arrangements.

Pakistan has historically faced differences in moon sighting, leading to varying Ramazan and Eid dates in different provinces, particularly between Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the rest of the country.

The government hopes that shifting the central committee's meeting to Peshawar will foster consensus among religious scholars and ensure a synchronised observance of the holy month.