Pakistan’s Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to assemble today to scrutinize the visibility of the Shawwal crescent moon, an event pivotal to establishing the commencement date for Eidul Fitr festivities
The convocation will be presided over by Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad and is slated to occur at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony in Islamabad.
In conjunction with the central assembly, subsidiary regional and zonal gatherings of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will transpire concurrently across the provincial capitals, tasked with evaluating lunar sighting testimonies from diverse locales.
The principal mandate of the committee is to authenticate eyewitness accounts of the moon’s appearance and issue an authoritative proclamation regarding the onset of the Islamic month of Shawwal. Per projections from the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), the Shawwal crescent is anticipated to be discernible on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Should this forecast be substantiated, Eid ul Fitr will be commemorated nationwide in Pakistan on Monday, March 31, 2025.
This declaration is ardently anticipated by millions of Muslims throughout Pakistan, who have observed the rigorous fast of Ramadan throughout the preceding month.
The observation of the Shawwal moon constitutes a momentous occasion for Muslims globally, heralding the culmination of Ramadan and the inauguration of Shawwal. The precise timing of this sighting fluctuates contingent upon regional observational capacities, with each nation employing its own methodology to ascertain lunar visibility.
Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates affirmed the visibility of the crescent moon on March 29, thereby designating that date as the inaugural day of Shawwal and the official commencement of Eid celebrations. Correspondingly, other Middle Eastern nations, including Kuwait, Qatar, and Iran, have similarly proclaimed Eid to be observed today.
Conversely, in numerous other territories, the Shawwal moon remained imperceptible on the evening of March 29, prompting announcements that Eid ul Fitr would be celebrated on Monday, March 31, 2025.
Among these nations are Oman, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Australia. For instance, the National Moon Sighting Committee of Bangladesh corroborated that the crescent moon evaded detection, thereby designating Sunday, March 30, as the concluding day of Ramadan.
