The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet on June 15 to sight the crescent moon of Muharram-ul-Haram 1448 AH and determine the beginning of the new Islamic year in Pakistan.
According to an official announcement, the meeting will be held at Iqbal Hall, Badshahi Mosque in Lahore under the chairmanship of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.
The committee will review moon-sighting reports received from across the country before making an official announcement regarding the start of Muharram.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has indicated that there is little possibility of sighting the Muharram moon on June 15. In an advisory issued on June 11, the Met Office said the moon is expected to be born at 7:54am on June 15, leaving insufficient time between its birth and sunset for the crescent to become visible.
Although weather conditions are expected to remain clear in many parts of the country, the PMD noted that the moon will not likely be visible on the evening of Zil Hajj 29.
According to the department, the moon is expected to set at 7:59pm in Punjab, 8:55pm in Sindh, 8:23pm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 8:34pm in Balochistan, 8:00pm in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 8:07pm in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Muharram is one of the four sacred months in Islam. The 10th of Muharram, known as Ashura, marks the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), along with his family members and companions in the Battle of Karbala.
Across Pakistan, devotees observe Muharram through religious gatherings, processions, and majalis, where scholars highlight the sacrifices and teachings associated with the historic event.
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