KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a statement on Tuesday detailing the birth of the new moon and its expected sighting for the Shawwal crescent.
According to PMD, the new moon was born at 11:21 PM on the previous night, making its age between 19 and 20 hours by Tuesday evening. The crescent was expected to be visible for approximately 50 minutes after sunset.
PMD forecasts indicated clear skies in southern regions of the country, while northern areas might experience cloudy conditions during the moon sighting.
Today, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will convene in Islamabad to sight the Shawwal moon. Chaired by Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, the committee will meet at the Kohsar Complex before commencing the moon sighting.
The sighting of the Shawwal moon today will mark the conclusion of Ramadan, signifying that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Wednesday (April 10) in Pakistan. If the moon is not sighted today, Eid will be observed on Thursday (April 11).
Simultaneously, zonal and district committees will also meet across the country after Asr prayers to verify moon sightings and provide testimonies.
The committee’s meeting will include officials from the meteorology department, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), and Ministry of Science and Technology to receive testimonies and decide on the moon sighting.
Notably, the government has already declared public holidays for Eid-ul-Fitr, with offices operating five days a week observing three public holidays from April 10 to 12, and those working six days a week enjoying four public holidays from April 10 to 13.
It’s worth mentioning that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the Shawwal moon was not sighted in those countries, extending Ramadan to a full 30 days with Tuesday marking the final day of fasting.
