PMD issues fresh update as Ruet body meets tomorrow for Ramadan moon sighting

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday indicated that there is a low likelihood of sighting the Ramadan crescent on Friday, February 28, due to expected cloudy weather conditions in various parts of the country, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to convene in Peshawar at 6:30 PM on February 28 to determine the sighting of the moon.

If the crescent is sighted, Ramadan will begin on March 1 (Saturday). The meeting will be chaired by Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad and will commence after the Asr prayer.

Simultaneously, zonal committees across the country will also meet in their respective regions to assess moon-sighting reports.

According to a notification from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, clerics from different schools of thought will participate in the central meeting to ensure consensus on the beginning of Ramadan.

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The PMD report stated that the moon’s age at sunset will be approximately 12 hours, with a moon-sun angular separation of about five degrees, reducing the chances of sighting.

Ramadan, observed with religious devotion and fasting from dawn to dusk, will see millions of Pakistanis join billions of Muslims worldwide in observing fasts lasting between 12 to 17 hours, depending on geographical location.