PESHAWAR: The crescent moon marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan has been sighted in Pakistan, and the first fast will be observed on Thursday, February 19.
The announcement was made by Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, following a meeting held in Peshawar.
The meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee was chaired by Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad and attended by officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Pakistan Meteorological Department, and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).
According to committee member Mufti Atiq-ur-Rehman, the first five testimonies of moon sighting were received from Upper Dir, while six testimonies were reported from Mohmand district. In total, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee received 40 verified testimonies confirming the sighting of the Ramadan crescent.
In addition to Peshawar, zonal committee meetings were also held in the federal capital Islamabad and other provincial capitals across the country.
Earlier, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad had appealed to the public to sight the Ramadan moon, expressing hope that the holy month would begin simultaneously across the country.
Meanwhile, the Ramazan crescent was also sighted in Bangladesh and India, where Muslims will likewise observe their first fast on February 19.
