Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department said that the Shawwal moon is likely to be sighted on Sunday, June 25. As a result, Eidul Fitr will be celebrated in the country on Monday, June 26, this year.

According to astronomical parameters, there is a ‘good chance’ that the new moon will be sighted on the evening of June 25, which will be Ramazan 29, said a PMD official. He added that the new moon of Shawwal will appear on crossing conjunction point at 07:31 PST on June 24.

The weather is expected to be fair to partly cloudy in most parts of the country on June 25, and thus a high likelihood of moon-sighting, said the official. However, he added, the final and official announcement of the moon-sighting will be made by the moon-sighting committee that functions under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The Met Office had also predicted correctly about the Ramazan crescent.

A meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to sight the moon has been scheduled to be held in Peshawar on Ramazan 29 (Sunday, June 25).

The Ministry of Religious Affairs made efforts to push Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai to mark the first of Ramazan and Eid across the country on the same day.

“Due to the absence of relevant law, we cannot impose a fine or punish anyone who would announce the moon-sighting before an official announcement by the Ruet-e-Hial committee,” he said, requesting the media and unofficial religious committees to cooperate with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The federal government has already announced Eidul Fitr holidays from Monday, June 26 to Wednesday, June 28.