PESHAWAR, Nov 28: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that the Frontier government has made up its mind to organize a seminar to settle the moon sighting issue once and for all.

“Moon sighting has become the most controversial issue that has crossed all limits and paralysed social and religious life of all Pakistanis,” he said while exchanging Eid greetings with members of national and provincial assemblies, senators, delegations of minorities, tribal areas and people from all walks of life at the Frontier House here, according to a handout issued here on Friday.

“To settle this issue that was not of our own making but of circumstances, environment and ‘MMA bashing’, the government would organize a seminar in which reputed ulema, astronomers, intellectuals and media men would be invited that would generate a positive, constructive and well directed debate and hopefully it would lead to a permanent solution to the moon sighting controversy,” he said.

The chief minister said that this time because of the charged sentiments of the people of the Frontier province and the possible evidence on the moon-sighting and on completing 29 fasts, he himself talked to Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and got his consent for the provincial Ruet-i-Hilal committee to meet and collect evidence.

The faithful from various districts turned up in hundreds for registering evidence for the moon sighting that,” he claimed.

Talking to a delegation of investors led by former MNA Mohammad Shah Afridi, the chief minister welcomed the move of setting up an automobile industry at a suitable place in the southern districts of the province.