By Our Correspondent
LAHORE – The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Monday announced that the Muharram crescent was not sighted anywhere in Pakistan, declaring that the first day of Muharram 1448 AH will be observed on Wednesday, June 17.
The announcement came after a meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee in Lahore, chaired by its chairman, Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad. Members of the central and zonal committees participated in the proceedings to review moon sighting reports received from across the country.
Representatives from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) also attended the meeting to assist in the verification process.
During the session, reports submitted by zonal committees from all provinces were examined in detail. Officials confirmed that no credible evidence of the Muharram crescent sighting had been received from any part of the country.
Separate meetings of zonal Ruet-e-Hilal committees were held simultaneously at their respective locations, where local observers and authorities assessed visibility conditions and likewise reported no confirmed sightings.
Based on the unanimous findings, the committee declared that 1 Muharram 1448 AH will begin on Wednesday, June 17, while Youm-e-Ashura will be observed on Friday, June 26, in accordance with the Islamic lunar calendar.
