QUETTA: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to meet today (Saturday) in Quetta to sight the moon for the new Islamic year, Muharram-ul-Haram 1446 Hijri. The session, which will be held at the DC Complex in Quetta, will be presided over by Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.
Members from both central and zonal committees will participate in the moon sighting activity. The zonal committee sessions will take place in various locations, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and other areas. These zonal committees will share their moon sighting evidence with the central committee.
The final decision on the moon sighting will be announced by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chairman based on the gathered evidence. However, cloudy weather conditions may hinder the visibility of the moon.
In related news, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 and banned pillion riding across the province to ensure the security of Muharram processions.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia announced that the new Islamic year would begin on Sunday, July 7, as the crescent moon was not sighted. Consequently, Zilhajj will last for 30 days, with Saturday, July 6, being the last day of the month. The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia issued a statement confirming that Sunday, July 7, 2024, will mark the first day of Muharram 1446 AH.
