KARACHI, July 20: The Ramazan moon was sighted on Friday heralding the beginning of the fasting month.

A meeting of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, presided over by its Chairman Mufti Munibur Rehman, made the announcement about the sighting of the moon.

Ulema of different schools of thought attended the meeting which was held at the Pakistan Meteorological Department building in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman said the moon had been sighted in Dera Ghazi Khan and some other parts of the country.

Zonal Ruet-i-Hilal committees also met separately.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department had announced on Thursday that the moon was likely to be sighted in coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan on Friday.

According to a private television channel, the imam of a mosque in Peshawar who in the past always rejected decisions of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, said on Friday that he agreed with the announcement of the committee and that the holy month would begin on Saturday.

As a result, after a long time, Ramazan will begin on the same day almost all over the country except in a few tribal areas where people started fasting on Friday.

After the announcement of moon sighting, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf sent messages of felicitations to the nation.

Ramazan began on Friday in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as well as for Lebanon’s Sunni Muslims.

In Bangladesh the holy month begins on Saturday.

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...