By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD –As Pakistan prepares for Eid ul Adha, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is set to convene in Karachi on Sunday to observe the Zil Hajj crescent moon, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. The key meeting will take place at the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), where religious scholars and meteorological experts will review moon sighting reports from across the country before announcing the start of the Islamic month.
The sighting of the moon will determine the date of Eid ul Adha in Pakistan. If the crescent is visible on Sunday evening, the first day of Zil Hajj will begin on Monday, May 18, and Eid ul Adha will be celebrated on May 27. However, if the moon is not sighted, Eid will instead fall on May 28.
Meanwhile, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has already indicated a strong possibility of the moon being visible on May 17. According to a spokesperson for the national space agency, the new moon is expected to be around 18 and a half hours old at sunset, an age generally considered favourable for crescent visibility.
The official further explained that the moon is scheduled to be born at approximately 1:01am on May 17, creating suitable astronomical conditions for sighting later in the evening. Suparco’s assessment also highlighted that weather and atmospheric conditions across several parts of Pakistan are expected to support visibility.
Coastal regions, in particular, may offer the best chance of observing the crescent due to a projected 60-minute gap between sunset and moonset. This extended visibility window significantly increases the likelihood of successful moon sighting reports from those areas.
Based on these scientific calculations, Suparco has predicted that Zil Hajj will likely begin on May 18, making May 27 the probable date for Eid ul Adha. However, the agency clarified that the final and official announcement will only be made by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after reviewing testimonies and observational evidence from across the country.
The committee’s decision remains the authoritative declaration for the beginning of Islamic months in Pakistan, blending both religious tradition and scientific input in the moon sighting process.
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