Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, surrounded by religious scholars and clerics, looks in the telescope to spot the crescent moon in this undated image. — AFP/File
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) will convene in Peshawar on February 18 to sight the crescent moon for the beginning of Ramadan 1447AH. Zonal moon-sighting committees will meet simultaneously in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, and Quetta.
The central meeting will be chaired by Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad and will determine whether Ramadan will begin on February 19 or 20. A formal notification issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs confirmed that meetings of the zonal committees will take place in all federal and provincial capitals.
Scientific projections suggest a strong possibility that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia may begin Ramadan on the same day this year. According to officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the new moon of Ramadan 1447AH is expected to be born on February 17. However, the crescent is unlikely to be visible that evening in Saudi Arabia, the United States, Africa, Europe, and several other regions.
Astronomical forecasts indicate that the moon is expected to be clearly visible on February 18 in Pakistan and various other countries. Cities including Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Makkah are projected to have favorable visibility conditions. If the crescent is sighted as expected, Ramadan in Pakistan is likely to begin on Thursday, February 19.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stated that the moon will be born at the conjunction point at 5:01pm on February 17. In an advisory issued to the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Research and Reference Wing, the department said astronomical parameters point to a fair chance of sighting the crescent on February 18, corresponding to the 29th of Sha’ban 1447AH.
According to the PMD’s Climate Data Processing Centre, weather conditions across most parts of the country on the evening of February 18 are expected to be partly cloudy or fair, which may support moon-sighting efforts.
The department also released region-wise moonset timings (PST) for February 18. The crescent is expected to remain visible until 7:24pm in Sindh, 7:08pm in Punjab, 7:47pm in Balochistan, 7:13pm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6:58pm in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 6:53pm in Gilgit-Baltistan. Areas not listed in the schedule may also observe the moon until their respective local moonset times.
As per established practice, the RHC will meet on the 29th of Sha’ban alongside zonal committees to assess testimonies of crescent sightings before formally announcing the start of Ramadan. Religious scholars from various schools of thought will participate in the session.
Ramadan, observed with deep devotion, sees millions of Pakistanis — along with Muslims around the world — fasting from dawn to sunset. The month is also marked by heightened charitable activities and public food drives, with many people setting up roadside stalls to offer meals to those returning home at sunset. https://dmtn1.com/ruet-e-hilal-committee-to-meet-on-feb-18-in-peshawar-for-ramadan-1447ah-moon-sighting/
