The moon for the holy month of Ramazan has been sighted in Pakistan and fasting across the country will commence on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) announced.
A meeting of the RHC to sight the crescent moon for the holy month was held in Peshawar on Tuesday.
The meeting was also attended by Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), and the Ministry of Science and Technology while zonal committees joined the meeting virtually.
President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated the nation and the Muslim community on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan.
In their messages on the occasion, they said that Allah Almighty has provided the people with an opportunity to fully benefit from His blessings in this holy month.
The president said that purification and obedience to commandments of Allah Almighty are objectives of fasting.
The prime minister said that it is the individual and collective responsibility of the people to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curb the spread of coronavirus during the holy month.
“We have to combat this critical situation with unity,” he said.
Last week, RHC chief Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad told a press conference that Popalzai, who headed the unofficial moon-sighting body at the historic Qasim Ali Khan Mosque in Peshawar, would extend full cooperation to the central Ruet body.
He said that the meeting would be held in Peshawar to develop consensus about the start of Ramadan across the country the same day and ensure that no one complains about the sighting of the moon.
The start of the month is determined by the lunar calendar that, unlike the Gregorian calendar, follows a 29- or 30-day cycle determined by the cycle of the moon.
This will be the first Ramadan moon sighting under the new chairman — Azad who is also Khateeb of Badshahi Masjid in Lahore — who was appointed by the government in December last, in place of Mufti Muneebur Rehman who was removed following a 23-year stint.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to ensure uninterrupted power supply of power across the country during Sehar, Iftar and Taraweeh hours.
Provision of electricity during Sehar, Iftar and Taraweeh hours will be ensured on all feeders, Power Division said.
In this regard, any complaint can be lodged by sending message at 8118 or call at 118.
