PESHAWAR, Oct 26: The Central Ruet-i-Hilal committee has announced that Ramazan moon has not been sighted in any part of the country and the holy month will begin from Tuesday.
The committee met here on Sunday at the historic Balahisar Fort with its chairman, Prof Mufti Muneebur Rehman, in the chair. Other members, including Maulana Hassen Jan, Maulana Shabir Ahmad Kakakhel, Qari Abdur Rashid, NWFP auqaf and religious affairs minister Hafiz Akhter Ali, were present.
Mufti Muneeb said Ramazan moon had not been sighted in any part of the country though the sky was clear in many areas.
DISPUTE: Ulema in Peshawar, however, announced on Sunday evening that after listening to witnesses from different parts of the district they had decided that the month of Ramazan would begin from Monday.
People in different parts of district Mardan observed fast even on Sunday.
A committee of local ulema met at one of the main mosque of Peshawar, Qasim Ali Khan mosque, under the chairmanship of Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai.
The local Hilal committee claimed that three witnesses from Regi, a suburban area, testified the sighting of Ramazan moon. The committee said the three witnesses qualified the criterion of giving evidence.
Similarly, in Swabi, Charssada and Mardan announcements were made and people offered taraveh prayers. They will observe fast on Monday.
