To mark the Holy beginning — Muslims observe Ramazan

Published June 18, 2015
A worshipper is seen at  the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore after dusk. -AP/FilePhoto
A worshipper is seen at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore after dusk. -AP/FilePhoto
Muslims pray in the iconic Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Turkey. -AP
Muslims pray in the iconic Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Turkey. -AP
A vendor sells vermicelli to customers ahead of Ramazan in Rawalpindi.  -AP
A vendor sells vermicelli to customers ahead of Ramazan in Rawalpindi. -AP
Dates are being sold on arrival of holy month of Ramzan-
ul-Mubarak, at Bolton Market in Karachi. -PPI
Dates are being sold on arrival of holy month of Ramzan- ul-Mubarak, at Bolton Market in Karachi. -PPI
An Afghan watermelon vendor prepares for his customers ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan at a stall on the roadside in Kabul, Afghanistan. -AFP
An Afghan watermelon vendor prepares for his customers ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan at a stall on the roadside in Kabul, Afghanistan. -AFP
Men checks a selection of prayer beads for purchase ahead of the holy month of Ramazan in Kabul, Afghanistan. -Reuters
Men checks a selection of prayer beads for purchase ahead of the holy month of Ramazan in Kabul, Afghanistan. -Reuters
A Palestinian girl holds a traditional lantern known in Arabic as "Fanous" sold during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. -AFP
A Palestinian girl holds a traditional lantern known in Arabic as "Fanous" sold during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. -AFP
An Egyptian vendor organizes traditional lanterns known in Arabic as "Fanous" sold during the Muslim Holy month of Ramazan. -AFP
An Egyptian vendor organizes traditional lanterns known in Arabic as "Fanous" sold during the Muslim Holy month of Ramazan. -AFP
Afghan Muslims buy dates ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan at a roadside stall in a market in Kabul, Afghanistan. -AFP
Afghan Muslims buy dates ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan at a roadside stall in a market in Kabul, Afghanistan. -AFP
A man prepares special sweets at a small traditional factory ahead of the holy month of Ramazan in Kabul, Afghanistan. -Reuters
A man prepares special sweets at a small traditional factory ahead of the holy month of Ramazan in Kabul, Afghanistan. -Reuters
Palestinian people take part in a prayer called Tarawih, on the eve of the Holy fasting month of Ramazan in Gaza City. -AFP
Palestinian people take part in a prayer called Tarawih, on the eve of the Holy fasting month of Ramazan in Gaza City. -AFP
A vendor displaying beads (Tasbih) at his shop in a market. -APP
A vendor displaying beads (Tasbih) at his shop in a market. -APP
Afghan shoppers walk through a market ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan at a market in Kabul. -AFP
Afghan shoppers walk through a market ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan at a market in Kabul. -AFP
Egyptians walk past traditional lanterns known in Arabic as "Fanous" sold during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in the Saida Zeinab district in the capital Cairo. -AFP
Egyptians walk past traditional lanterns known in Arabic as "Fanous" sold during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in the Saida Zeinab district in the capital Cairo. -AFP
A Malaysian Muslim man is silhouetted as he performs his prayers at a mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia. -AP
A Malaysian Muslim man is silhouetted as he performs his prayers at a mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia. -AP
Migrants pray on June 17, 2015, on the eve of the Holy fasting month of Ramazan, in the city of Ventimiglia, in Italy, near the French border. -AFP
Migrants pray on June 17, 2015, on the eve of the Holy fasting month of Ramazan, in the city of Ventimiglia, in Italy, near the French border. -AFP
A man tries a prayer cap to buy from a stall outside a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramazan. -Reuters
A man tries a prayer cap to buy from a stall outside a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramazan. -Reuters
A Chinese Muslim man offers prayers on the first day of Ramazan, Beijing. -AP
A Chinese Muslim man offers prayers on the first day of Ramazan, Beijing. -AP
Children prepare cookies at a small traditional factory ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan in Kabul, Afghanistan. -Reuters
Children prepare cookies at a small traditional factory ahead of the Holy month of Ramazan in Kabul, Afghanistan. -Reuters
A Palestinian boy celebrates with fireworks during the Muslim Holy month of Ramazan, in Rafah,  the southern Gaza Strip. -AFP
A Palestinian boy celebrates with fireworks during the Muslim Holy month of Ramazan, in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. -AFP
A lady purchasing cap for her son from a vendor in a local market of Lahore. -APP
A lady purchasing cap for her son from a vendor in a local market of Lahore. -APP
Muslims gather in the iconic Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Turkey. -AP
Muslims gather in the iconic Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Turkey. -AP
A shopkeeper grabs perfumes for a customer ahead of Ramazan in Rawalpindi.  -AP
A shopkeeper grabs perfumes for a customer ahead of Ramazan in Rawalpindi. -AP
A Muslim man reads the Quran during the first day of the fasting month of Ramazan at a Mosque on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. -AP
A Muslim man reads the Quran during the first day of the fasting month of Ramazan at a Mosque on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. -AP

More than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world will mark the month, during which believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn until sunset.

The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee announced on Wednesday that since Ramazan moon had not been sighted, the holy month would begin on Friday.

“No witness testimony regarding moon-sighting was received from across the country,” the committee’s chairman, Mufti Munibur Rehman, said at a press conference after a meeting at the Karachi Met Office.

Meetings of the regional committees were held in provincial capitals and representatives of the committee were present in almost every district.

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