Eidul Fitr to be celebrated in parts of KP on Friday

E-Paper | October 23, 2026

Eidul Fitr to be celebrated in parts of KP on Friday

Dawn.com Published July 16, 2015

PESHAWAR: A clutch of unofficial groups, led by Mufti Shahabuddin Populzai of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan in Peshawar, declared late on Thursday that the Shawwal crescent had been sighted and Eidul Fitr would be celebrated in several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the tribal areas on Friday.

The meeting of an unofficial committee held at Masjid Qasim Ali Khan announced late on Thursday that the moon has been sighted, and they have received sufficient testimonies in this regard from various parts of KP.

After which it was announced that Eid will be celebrated in different districts of KP, including Bannu, Kohat, Charsadda, Mardan, Swat, Peshawar, and Fata’s North and South Waziristan Agency.

However, the central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee will officially meet on Friday to decide on the sighting or otherwise of the crescent of Shawwal-ul-Mukarram, 1436 AH.

The committee headed by its chairman, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, will meet after Asr prayers at the main office of the Meteorological Department in Islamabad on Friday.

Members of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committees, officials of the Meteorological Department and other experts would attend the meeting. Moreover, members of the zonal committees would meet at their respective headquarters.

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Amar

Jul 16, 2015 11:59pm

The central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee should have looked for the moon Thursday night, as the moon has already been sighted in KP, Saudi Arabia, and other parts of world.

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Farooq

Jul 17, 2015 12:04am

@Amar Totally Agree with you

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atif

Jul 17, 2015 12:04am

can someone plz send this mufti popalzai to moon, once and for all

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Yahya Khan

Jul 17, 2015 12:04am

why moon is sighted only in pakhtoon areas n not in hazara.

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Jungraiz

Jul 17, 2015 12:04am

Roit-e-Hilal needs to get in-sync with rest of the world. I was embarrassed for them when this Ramzan they were standing with telescopes and even a blind man could see their "first day" moon.

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Md Jamir Haider Babla

Jul 17, 2015 12:04am

One nation two Eids. Who are correct? One group will fast but other will celebrate Eid. Could there be two eids or two lailatul Qadars. Muslims are nations so leading relious preachers should sit and find out a common solution to unite the Muslims.

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RIXVI

Jul 17, 2015 12:08am

At least on such occasions the whole nation should show the unity, but what to do with these Mufties.

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ENIGMA

Jul 17, 2015 12:18am

Please Ruet-i-Hilal Committee have a meteorologist and an astronomer be part of your committee, after all Muslims have excelled in the sciences for the past thousand years .... no need to have different dates for Eid - let's unite as Muslims and celebrate the pinnacle of Ramzan as one Ummah.

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GulAhmed

Jul 17, 2015 12:18am

This is ridiculous. A simple question for Poplazai, why his moon sighting always concide with Saudi's.

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Dr. Masood

Jul 17, 2015 12:24am

Quite unfortunately lack of education is to blame. Waxing and waning moon at extremes (beginning of the month or at the end) is similar in size and appearance but the direction of the horns is completely opposite in each case. Questioning a credible witness in regards to the direction in which the horns are pointing will help clarify whether a waning or (last sighting of a vanishing) moon is mistaken for a new moon. If on the contrary this verification results in dubious reporting, the witness should be taken to task in a court of law and labeled as non-credible for future.

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Harmony-1

Jul 17, 2015 12:24am

Moon sighting shouldn't be mullah's job. It should be meteorologists.

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Waqqas

Jul 17, 2015 12:25am

Why cant the government put in hefty fines to the tune of millions of rupees and jail terms for all those who want to arrange a non-sanctioned moon sighting committee. Ruet-Hilal committee is the official sanctioned body to look for moon. Be done with the excuses and charge those who want to go against the official government body, Ruet-Hilal committee. Then see, how we will then have one Eid and one Ramadan start date in the whole country.

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sabir

Jul 17, 2015 12:29am

no issue in two eids if they are so happy.lets tolerate the difference of opinion

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Mohammad Awais

Jul 17, 2015 12:33am

Very bad Thing to do! i dont think so that they have seen the Moon & They Doing Eid Without Seeing Moon! Wired Philtrum Piercing .

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BNA

Jul 17, 2015 12:33am

Eid Mubbarak.

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noshin

Jul 17, 2015 12:38am

does KPK. has tilted towards middle eastern countries??

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BABA DE KAMAQLANO

Jul 17, 2015 12:39am

Eid Mubbarak to Muslims and good wishes to others.

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Afzal Mir

Jul 17, 2015 12:42am

Mullahs and politicians are destroying this country. Shame on all of them.

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mushtaq

Jul 17, 2015 12:45am

Lets celebrate with the whole world by followng ksa comittee whch is being followed frm west(america) to east(malysia.indoneshia). We are neighbor area and shud thnk of followng ksa comittee.

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Jehan zeb

Jul 17, 2015 12:50am

There is no need to meet on Friday to decide about Eid if it is on Saturday or Sunday. Mulana Sahib should not waste government money and close his shop.

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Jehan zeb

Jul 17, 2015 12:53am

@Yahya Khan open your eyes and look over the entire world and not Pukhtunkhwa only.

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Abu Mahad

Jul 17, 2015 01:03am

I am quite sure if Mufti Shahabuddin Populzai of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan in Peshawar is made head of Central Ruet-e-Halal Committee, he will observe eid with the rest of the country. The problem with such pseudo mullahs is that they only want a position of influence and authority to satisfy their egos. Such a shame on the name of Islam this cult of Mullahs is.

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Ibrahim

Jul 17, 2015 01:03am

so awful, entire world will celebrate Eid tomorrow except hilal committee affiliated regions. perhaps hilal committee is better than any other committee in the world.

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Danish Anjum

Jul 17, 2015 01:10am

The religion is very simple. But NOT simple enough for this nation.

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ZAIN KHAN

Jul 17, 2015 01:13am

@Amar Too right you are.

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Rashid

Jul 17, 2015 01:19am

Its amazing that the entire world is celebrating eid tomorrow and our Ruet-i-Hilal committee didn't even meet. We surely have a separate moon than the rest of the world.

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Aamir

Jul 17, 2015 01:24am

Don't question the authenticity of witnesses from KP. Such suspicion is unproductive and descriminatory. Respect the verdict of Popalzai, he is as good a scholar as Mufti Muneeb if not better.

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MMU

Jul 17, 2015 01:43am

@atif If you wand to send mufti Polplazia to moon than you have to send every one else with him as Eid will be celebrated in many countries on Friday.

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MMM

Jul 17, 2015 01:47am

@BNA Eid Mubarak to you also

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Khattak

Jul 17, 2015 01:52am

I love you kpk eid Mubarak to all the citizen kpk

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Doniya

Jul 17, 2015 01:53am

Mufti has his own solar system in Peshawar.

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karachiwala

Jul 17, 2015 02:05am

This phenomenon of moon sightings a day earlier in saudi arabia and pakhtunwala must be reported to world astronomers for their further research.

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Syed

Jul 17, 2015 02:17am

But all the top observatories are saying that the moon can not be visible in Asia on Thursday July 16. How did Populzai and Saudi Arabia see it? http://www.saao.ac.za/visibility-of-the-crescent-moon-in-2015/ http://moonsighting.com/1436shw.html

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Daood

Jul 17, 2015 02:26am

lets just take this job from muftis and give it to carefully assembled science team. And then punish anyone who tries to break unity at these occasions through pathetic and foolish attempts.

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Ikram

Jul 17, 2015 02:26am

I wish my Pakistani brothers happy Eid, I hope this Eid pakistan goves eidi of peace to all young ones in sub continent and rest of the world.

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Khurram

Jul 17, 2015 02:26am

@Amar how come? on Thursday there will be only 28 days of Ramadan in Pakistan, Those who announced Eid, have started Ramadan a day earlier I guess, they always go with Saudi's, who themselves not follow the authentic sighting procedure but Ummul Qura calendar.

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Asif

Jul 17, 2015 02:30am

Moon was sighted in Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia in the East and in the west in Saudi Arabia but our Central Committee didn't even try to look for the moon... Tommorrow people all and sundry will see the moon which is not possible on the 1st day ...

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Amaan

Jul 17, 2015 02:34am

@Yahya Why is the moon sighted all over the world and not by Mufti Munib! Its a "whole world vs Mufti Munib"!!!!

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Thunder

Jul 17, 2015 02:52am

Eid is the celebration of fasting for the whole month of Ramadan. Only Pakhtuns in Pakistan deserve to celebrate eid because they fast. 95% of the people of Punjab and sindh donot fast and therefore they have no right to dictate to Pakhtuns when to fast and when to celebrate eid.

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MJK

Jul 17, 2015 02:55am

Seems in Pukhtoon area , people have sharp eye sight, rest of us are sffering from cataract.

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Danish

Jul 17, 2015 03:00am

Arrest Popalzai for making his own state within the state and remove Muneeb Ur Rehman from the Ruet Committee.

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Fareed

Jul 17, 2015 03:02am

A glaring example as society how disorganized & incoherent we are. Some fasting others celebrating Eid !

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True

Jul 17, 2015 03:19am

@Jungraiz : only in Pakistan, whole world at least in majority agree on Eid , Pakistan is the divider.

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Sheikh Tahseen

Jul 17, 2015 03:35am

In KPK, only three moons have saudi passport (ramadan, shawal, zil haj) & the rest have pak nationality

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Haroon

Jul 17, 2015 03:36am

@Amar Sighting of the moon on the 16 July was scientifically IMPOSSIBLE. http://www.moonsighting.com/ . If you can't get that then please stop using other modern inventions like the internet or antibiotics because they are a "Conspiracy against Islam" as well.

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Majeed Raja

Jul 17, 2015 03:43am

Why it only happen for Shawaal or Ramazaan moon??? Why Popalzai Sb. does not do same for Rajab, Safar, Jamadi ul Awal moon???

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John

Jul 17, 2015 03:50am

@sabir that's why Nisar announced 5 days Holliday.

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Muhammad Zafar iqbal

Jul 17, 2015 04:11am

It seems clerics of masjid QASIM have their readymade crescent and could be seen /available for appearance in according to their whims .

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Pakistan First

Jul 17, 2015 04:23am

Eid Mubarak

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ahsan

Jul 17, 2015 04:25am

why the Masjid Bin Qasim announce that they have sighted the moon after the official announcement of moon sightness from Royal palace of Saudi Arabia?

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Khan

Jul 17, 2015 05:57am

And why the moon has been sighted all over the world, but not in Pakistan? do the math now,,,,,,,,,,,

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khan

Jul 17, 2015 06:06am

@Waqqas very sad....if punjab and sindh decided to have eid one day later so be it. Eid is on Friday and look up the scientific calculation as well dude.....

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Guldar Khan Wazir

Jul 17, 2015 06:07am

Why this religious division in country every year? Is there no agreed solution to the embarrassing situation that has tortured the patriotic nation mentally? Let the religious scholars meet and join hands to remove the difference. Please do not befool the nation any more.

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Ahmed

Jul 17, 2015 08:44am

Have these moon sighters sent material evidence such as photos even from cell phones. This Maulavi Sb. will remain a controversial personality. My suggestion to give him a chance to become chairman moon sighting committee of Pakistan or a visa to visit Europe and North America.

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Ahmed

Jul 17, 2015 08:45am

@Yahya Khan@ very easy answer they see each very diffetently.

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ghayyas

Jul 17, 2015 09:09am

What has Imran Khan has to say about it? kia ye tabdeeli hae.

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Qamar Faruqui

Jul 17, 2015 09:44am

Astronomical event of new moon took place on 0624 hrs PKST. Moon age sunset time in Peshawer = 13Hrs-1 min. Sunset time in Peshawer: 1925 hrs Moonset time in Peshawer = 1926 hrs Crescent illumination at sunset =0.2 %.Now moon set took place just 1 min after sunset with moon illumination only 0.25% . Who can sight moon in this condition even with the aid of any device ? The entire world has been fooled by all these countries who declared that moon has been sighted including Saudi Arabia.Yes astr0nomicaly moon is there but cannot be sighted.All liars and hypocrites. No problem if they say we go by calender but don't cheat.

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Khwaja

Jul 17, 2015 09:50am

Eid Mubarak to the Pashtoon Brothers.

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Pakistan

Jul 17, 2015 11:58am

KPK are absolutely correct in moon sighting on Thursday. It is Eid today. http://www.inconstantmoon.com/inconstant.htm

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Thinker

Jul 17, 2015 11:58am

why we don't be travel to moon

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mrme

Jul 17, 2015 12:25pm

this is so disappointing! shows the unity we have as a nation.. absolutely despicable!!

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fahad

Jul 17, 2015 12:46pm

no eid in swat.we celebrate it with federal govt

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DisparateAamer

Jul 17, 2015 12:50pm

How could they see crescent of it was not there. Crescent was not there in this part of the world on Thursday evening.

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DisparateAamer

Jul 17, 2015 12:56pm

@Dr. Masood There is gap of a week or so between the stages you discussed. It's irrelevant. On Thursday evening crescent was visible to naked eye only in some areas of Pacific. This mufti has bubble telescope funded by Saudi Arabia.

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Ramesh Nakhwa

Jul 17, 2015 01:09pm

Already decided that sighting will be on saturday and Eid on Sunday. Eid Mubarak to all my Pakistani friends

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CHEPO

Jul 17, 2015 01:27pm

Eeeed mobareck

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افغان ميهن

Jul 17, 2015 01:32pm

اختر مو مبارك شه Akhtar mu Mubarak sha. Eid Mubarak to all. Eid is on Friday all over the world except for Pakistan.

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Azmeen

Jul 17, 2015 01:49pm

Alas! Again two Eids. Since KPK is part of Pak why this govt.' Rooate Halal Committee does not sight moon in KPK to ensue that Eid is celebrated on the same day throughout Pakistan,

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