QUETTA: The moon of Muharram ul-Haram has not been sighted and Ashura will be observed on 17th July across Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Saturday.
After the meeting of central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad announced that the first of Muharram will be on Sunday, July 8 and Ashura will be observed on Wednesday, the 17th July.
Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said that meetings of the moon-sighting zonal committees were held across the country.
He said that no evidence of moon sighting was received for Muharram ul-Haram from any part of the country.
Ashura is observed on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year, which marks the great martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions in the Battle of Karbala.
Earlier, the Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) in its statement issued on June 20, said that the new moon of Muharram would be born on the crossing conjunction point at 03:57 PST on July 6.
Given the astronomical parameters, there is no chance of sighting the new moon on the evening of July 6, corresponding to the 29th of Zilhij 1445 AH.
Furthermore, the PMD forecasts partly cloudy to cloudy weather in most parts of the country, which may further impact the visibility of the moon.
