The Ramazan moon has been sighted in Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee said on Wednesday.
According to the decision of the meeting held in Peshawar, the 1st of the holy month is being observed in Pakistan on Thursday (today).
The meetings of the zonal bodies of the authority were held in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, and Quetta.
Abdul Khabir Azad, chairman of the central ruet (sighting) body, said the decision was announced after receiving the testimonies.
The testimonies, he added, were received from Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Swabi, Qila Saifullah, and Mardan.
Moments prior to the announcement, the head of Punjab's zonal committee was quoted as saying that there were no indications of the sighting from Lahore or other parts of the province.
He had also stated that a final announcement in this regard will be made by the central ruet committee.
Meanwhile, according to reports, there were no indications of the sighting from Sindh and Quetta.
It merits mentioning here that Saudi Arabia had earlier announced that Ramazan would begin Thursday after the moon was not sighted on Tuesday.
In Qatar, the official moon sighting committee also made an official announcement that the holy month will begin on Thursday.
'Moon not sighted'
Meanwhile, according to Hindustan Times, the moon wasn't sighted in India, therefore, Ramazan would begin on Friday. The reports in media suggested that the moon wasn't sighted in Bangladesh, either.
'Birth' of the moon
This year, the 'birth' of the Ramazan moon took place on the night of March 21 at 11:13 pm, Express News said earlier, quoting Professor Dr Shahid Qureshi, renowned astronomical scientist and former chairman of the Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science of the University of Karachi.
He had also said that the Ramazan moon would remain on the horizon for some 47 minutes and would set at 7:30 pm.
According to the decision of the meeting held in Peshawar, the 1st of the holy month is being observed in Pakistan on Thursday (today).
The meetings of the zonal bodies of the authority were held in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, and Quetta.
Abdul Khabir Azad, chairman of the central ruet (sighting) body, said the decision was announced after receiving the testimonies.
The testimonies, he added, were received from Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Swabi, Qila Saifullah, and Mardan.
Moments prior to the announcement, the head of Punjab's zonal committee was quoted as saying that there were no indications of the sighting from Lahore or other parts of the province.
He had also stated that a final announcement in this regard will be made by the central ruet committee.
Meanwhile, according to reports, there were no indications of the sighting from Sindh and Quetta.
It merits mentioning here that Saudi Arabia had earlier announced that Ramazan would begin Thursday after the moon was not sighted on Tuesday.
In Qatar, the official moon sighting committee also made an official announcement that the holy month will begin on Thursday.
'Moon not sighted'
Meanwhile, according to Hindustan Times, the moon wasn't sighted in India, therefore, Ramazan would begin on Friday. The reports in media suggested that the moon wasn't sighted in Bangladesh, either.
'Birth' of the moon
This year, the 'birth' of the Ramazan moon took place on the night of March 21 at 11:13 pm, Express News said earlier, quoting Professor Dr Shahid Qureshi, renowned astronomical scientist and former chairman of the Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science of the University of Karachi.
He had also said that the Ramazan moon would remain on the horizon for some 47 minutes and would set at 7:30 pm.