Unusual plea filed in Islamabad court seeking early Eid moon announcement

ISLAMABAD: A citizen has filed a unique petition in the Islamabad High Court seeking directions for an early announcement of the moon sighting for Eid ul Fitr to avoid public inconvenience and potential law and order issues.

The petition was filed by Islamabad resident Abdullah Shafiq Jan in his personal capacity. In the application, he requested the court to direct the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to promptly announce the sighting of the Eid ul Fitr moon once it is confirmed.

The petitioner argued that delays in announcing the moon sighting often lead people to perform Taraweeh prayers before the official declaration, which creates confusion among the public.

He further stated that late-night announcements regarding the moon sighting trigger a sudden surge of shoppers in markets, leading to overcrowding and management challenges for authorities.

According to the petition, timely announcements would help prevent unnecessary rush in commercial areas and assist the administration in maintaining law and order.

The petitioner also requested the court to direct the authorities to keep markets closed except for Eid shopping outlets in order to manage crowds and ensure public safety.

Through the plea, he urged the court to instruct the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to announce the moon sighting as early as possible once the crescent is sighted.