ISLAMABAD/ PESHAWAR: After lengthy deliberations, the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee announced on Wednesday night that Eidul Fitr would be celebrated across the country on Thursday (today) as the Shawwal moon had been sighted in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh.

The announcement was made by the chairman of the committee Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, along with other members, at around 11.30pm.

Earlier, the traditional Ruet-i-Hilal committee at historic Qasim Ali Khan Mosque in Peshawar announced that Eidul Fitr would be celebrated on Thursday (today).

At a huge gathering of people at the mosque, the committee chairman Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai said over 100 witnesses from different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had given testimonies about sighting of the Shawwal moon.

Though all roads leading to Qasim Ali Khan mosque were blocked as lockdown was imposed in the city to curb spread of coronavirus, a large number of people managed to reach the mosque.

Meanwhile, Eid was celebrated on Wednesday in Haider Khel area of North Waziristan tribal district under the decision taken by the local clerics on Tuesday night.

The decision was taken by the clerics when eight witnesses gave testimonies about sighting of the Shawwal moon.

Police registered two different FIRs against the clerics and witnesses in the Mir Ali police station and Miramshah police stations under Ihteram-i- Ramazan Ordinance, Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance and Pakistan Penal Code.

Eid prayers were offered in the mosques of Haider Khel area. MNA Mohsin Dawar, MPA Mir Kalam Wazir and their supporters were among those celebrated Eid.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2021