The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is all set to meet on Tuesday (tomorrow) for the sighting of Shawwal-ul-Mukarram moon. Chairman of the committee Maulana Syed Abdul Khabir Azad will preside over the meeting scheduled in Islamabad. The meeting will take place at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. Esteemed members from various institutions, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Pakistan Meteorological Department, and the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), will attend the meeting. Zonal members from Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar will also contribute to the deliberations. Maulana Azad has emphasised the importance of public involvement and encouraged the citizens to actively engage in the moon sighting for Shawwal-ul-Mukarram. Individuals have been urged to report any sightings to designated contact numbers: 0321-9410041/0333-9100619, 0300-6831822, and 051-9201425.

According to the meteorological department, the Shawwal moon is likely to be seen on April 9 across the country. While predicting the appearance of Eidul Fitr moon, the department said it would conjunct with the sun on April 8 at 11:21pm (local time). On April 9, the age of the moon would be 19 to 20 hours and it would be visible to naked eye for about 50 minutes after sunset. The first of Shawwal would be on April 10, it said. The Met Office forecast that in the southern regions of the country the sky would likely be clear, while it could be cloudy in the northern regions. Meanwhile, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad has also talked about the possibility of 29-day Ramazan based on scientific findings. The officials in Saudi Arabia will also sit today for moon sighting but the chances are bleak for the Shawwal moon today. It is being predicted that the Eidul Fitr will fall on the same day both in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan