JEDDAH: The moon marking the beginning of the Holy month of Ramazan was not sighted on Monday as a result of which the fasting month would now begin from July 10 in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in the region.

A statement issued by Saudi Arabia's Supreme Judicial Council, said that the crescent moon which marks the new lunar month was not sighted on Monday night and that Wednesday (July 10) would as a result be considered the first day of the dawn-to-dusk month of fasting.

Moreover Pakistan's Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee will meet at the Met Office in Karachi on July 9 to decide about the sighting or otherwise of the Ramazan moon.

An announcement on Monday said that the Chairman of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, Mufti Munib ur Rehman, would chair the meeting.

It said that the meetings of the zonal committees would also be held at their respective headquarters at the same time.