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Twitterati spring into action over Pakistan's prolonged, edge-of-your-seat Eid announcement

Twitterati spring into action over Pakistan's prolonged, edge-of-your-seat Eid announcement

While many stayed glued to their TVs, some decided to kill time with humour and sass (looking at you, Fawad Chaudhry).
Updated 12 May, 2021

When you don't know whether Eid is tomorrow or not by 9pm, it's fair to say everyone is a little agitated. Do we set the alarm for sehri? Should we iron clothes for Eid? Can we expect to get rich tomorrow with Eidi or do we have to wait another day?

The moon sighting in Pakistan more often than not has been an eventful — and contentious — process. Some members of the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee have already expressed concerns over what they called the premature statements by Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry regarding the expected date of Eid.

In a tweet on Sunday, Chaudhry had said: "Although the final Eid announcement will be made by the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, according to the calendar and Ruet App developed by the [science ministry] the moon will be able to be sighted on May 13 and Eid will be on May 14 (Friday)."

While others stayed glued to their TVs for an announcement on Wednesday, some decided to kill time with humour and sass (looking at you, Chaudhry).

This time, the minister pointed out that the moon was only 13 hours and 42 minutes old (tweet at 9:19pm) thus sighting the moon wasn't out of the question. He also added that the people who want to celebrate Eid with Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, should just say so.

Meanwhile, others made references to Mufti Popalzai, who heads the local unofficial moon-sighting committee at Peshawar's historic Qasim Ali Khan Mosque and in the past has declared Eid a day earlier than the federal committee.

According to a journalist, Qasim Ali Khan mosque had received at least 150 testimonies of moon sighting from several districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

To which, one person said they wanted Mufti Popalzai's binoculars. Another cheekily added Nasa wanted Mufti Popalzai to join them.

So when should we expect the eidi?

Hello, government?

Let the moon mature

DOES it only happen in Pakistan?

10pm...still waiting

Mufti Muneeb is watching

UPDATE

Popalzai declares Eid is tomorrow (May 13).

Popalzai said his mosque had received 189 moon-sighting testimonies from across KP, adding that the testimonies had been forwarded to the central Ruet committee as well.

Meanwhile

UPDATE

Balochistan Senator Sarfraz Bugti says moon sighted in Sui, Dera Bugti area.

The man has a question

At this point, so are we

Finally, we have an answer

The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, at 30 mins to midnight, announced the sighting of moon for the month of Shawwal.

End of live updates. Eidul Fitr will be celebrated across Pakistan tomorrow! Eid mubarak, dear readers.

Comments

Asim May 12, 2021 10:47pm
What’s wrong if we follow Saudi Islamic calendar, we are following Christian calendar for our daily routine without any concern or questions
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Asim's Bro May 12, 2021 11:14pm
@Asim ...are you for real bro? Saudis are not owners of Islam no matter how much you and your type want them to be. Besides, the Gregorian calendar unlike the Hijri calendar is not a lunar calendar.
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Tariq Choudry May 13, 2021 03:58am
Where is the moon picture
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Jamal May 13, 2021 10:33am
@Asim Saudis themselves have said that no one should follow them and everyone should look for the moon in their country
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