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
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
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 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
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
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

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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