Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meets today to sight Shawwal moon

KARACHI: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet on Thursday evening (today), to sight the Shawwal moon.

The meeting of the moon sighting committee for the moon of Shawwal 1439 AH will be held at Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) here, to be chaired by Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, officials said.

The members of the Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will hold their meetings in their respective areas.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and the zonal committees will gather the information from all across Pakistan and the central body will announce the decision about the sighting of the Eid-ul-Fitr moon or otherwise.

The Moon sighting window

The Chief Meteorologist of the met office has said that the moon has born at 00:43 PST on Thursday (today). The age of the new moon at the time of sunset on Thursday evening will be around 19 hours.

The weather official said that the Shawwal moon could be sighted during a window of 30 to 40 minutes after the sunset today. The moon most likely to be sighted at the coastal belt of the country, the official added.

The concerned authorities in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the Gulf countries as well as at India, UK, USA, Canada and Europe will hold meetings today to decide about the sighting of Shawwal moon.

The Eid ul Fitr will most likely be celebrated in Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA, UK and Europe on Friday.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in an earlier statement had informed the Ministry of Religious Affairs that there are slight chances of Shawwal moon sighting on June 14 (Thursday).