ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has announced that Eidul Azha will be celebrated across the country on Aug 1 (Saturday).

A notification issued by the ministry and quoting the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee’s decision said the month of Zilhaj would commence on July 23 (Thursday) as the moon had not been sighted on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee had announced that the Zilhaj moon had not been sighted anywhere in the country and, therefore, Eid would be celebrated on Aug 1.

The committee’s meeting for sighting the moon was held in Karachi with Mufti Muneebur Rehman in the chair.

Earlier, federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had said that Eidul Azha would be celebrated on July 31 in the country as per the calendar of his ministry.

In a tweet, Mr Chaudhry had said that Zilhaj moon would be sighted in Karachi and its surrounding areas on July 21.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2020