ISLAMABAD: The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee on Tuesday announced that the Ramazan moon has been sighted, and the holy month will begin in Pakistan on Thursday, February 19.
The announcement was made by committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad after a meeting held in Peshawar to observe the moon.
Speaking to the media, Azad said weather conditions were clear in some areas while cloudy in others. He added that moon sighting testimonies were received from different parts of the country, including Quetta, Islamabad, Waziristan, Dir, Karachi, Buner, Mardan and Tando Allahyar.
“After reviewing the reports, the committee unanimously decided that the first day of Ramazan will be on Thursday,” he said.
Meanwhile, media reports said the crescent moon was also sighted in Bangladesh and India.
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Several other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan, began fasting on Wednesday after sighting the moon on Tuesday night.
Earlier this month, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) had predicted that Ramazan was likely to begin on February 19 based on the moon’s expected age.
Separately, Shehbaz Sharif has announced a Rs38 billion Ramazan Relief Package to support 12.1 million deserving families across all four provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the package, each eligible family will receive Rs13,000 through a digital wallet or bank transfer. The prime minister said the assistance will be provided without any discrimination.
