From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee announced on Wednesday that the Ramazan moon had been sighted and the first of the holy month would fall on Thursday (today).
The announcement was made by Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad at a press conference in Peshawar.
The announcement came after the committee met at Peshawar’s Eidgah. Separate meetings of the zonal and district Ruet-i-Hilal committees were also held at their respective headquarters.
During the press conference, Maulana Azad said that the committee received moon sighting testimonies from a number of places in the country, including Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Swabi, Qila Saifullah and Mardan.
“Therefore, it was unanimously decided that the first of Ramazan would be on March 23,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hindustan Times reported that moon had not been sighted in neighbouring India, therefore, Ramazan would begin on Friday.
Saudi Arabia had announced that Ramazan would start on Thursday after the moon was not sighted on Tuesday. The official Crescent Sighting Committee in neighbouring Qatar had also announced Thursday as the first day of Ramazan.
