Moon sighting Pakistan: According Radio Pakistan, the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee is set to meet in Peshawar today.
It is to establish and disclose sighting of Ramadan crescent moon, to begin the month of Ramadan officially.
Leading the committee, Moulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad will chair the meeting.
Zonal Ruet-i-Hilal Committees will also have separate meetings at their sites to see the crescent moon for Ramadan concurrently, the study states.
Suparco, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), forecast Ramadan to start on Sunday, March 2, and Eid ul Fitr to be observed on March 31.
The ultimate call, nevertheless, is made by the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee after it has reviewed evidences from across the nation and officially verified the beginning of the sacred month.
The committee is vital in confirming the visibility of the crescent moon since Islam dictates the unaided sighting of it for the start of Ramadan.
Exactly exact astronomical computations indicate that the conjunction of the new moon will take place at 5:45 PM PST on February 28, 2025.
Still, there are several elements that affect its visibility: the age of the moon, altitude at sunset, angular distance from the sun, and atmospheric conditions.
Press release from Suparco stated that even on February 28 the chances of seeing the crescent were quite low.
Thus moon sighting Pakistan will be very difficult even with the optical help.
Therefore, Sha’aban should last 30 days and fasting should start on March 2.
On February 28, the crescent moon is probably visible over Saudi Arabia. Since, it has a good location that lets Ramadan start there on March 1.
Eid ul Fitr is forecast to come on March 31 in Pakistan.
