ISLAMABAD: Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad on Thursday evening announced that the Shawwal crescent was not sighted in any nook and cranny of country therefore the Eidul Fitr would be celebrated on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference after holding a conclusive meeting along with other members of the committee here on the premises of Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Ministry, the chairman said the first of Shawwal 1444 AH would fall on Saturday, April 22, as the committee did not receive any solid testimony of crescent sighting from any parts of the country.
No evidence of moon sighting in Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar was confirmed by Zonal Committees of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
As per the report, after 21 minutes of sunset, the chances of seeing the crescent of Shawwal ended across the country and the moon was not sighted anywhere in all major cities including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar.
According to details, Karachi Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Muhammad Salfi talked to the media and confirmed that the time to see the moon has ended and no witness or evidence of moonsighting were received.
He told the media that they have informed the central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee about not seeing the crescent of the Shawwal month.
He said the formal announcement of the moonsighting will be given by the central committee from Islamabad.
In Lahore, the zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting was held but the moon was also not sighted here in the city. In Islamabad, due to cloudy weather and wind storm, the moon was not sighted.
However, the Zonal and District Ruet-e-Hilal Committees held their meetings at their respective headquarters across the country.
According to astronomical parameters, there was ‘no chance’ of sighting the new moon of Shawwal, 1444 AH on the evening of April 20, 2023 i.e. on 29th of Ramazan, 1444 AH said the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s report issued earlier.
