Zilhaj moon has been sighted in Pakistan and now Eid-ul-Azha will be observed on Wednesday, May 27.
According to official announcements, the moon was sighted in several cities including Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Mardan, leading to confirmation of the festival date nationwide.
Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad confirmed the sighting and said that Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on May 27.
With the moon sighting confirmed in multiple regions, preparations for Eid-ul-Azha have officially begun across the country. The festival is one of the most important religious occasions in the Islamic calendar, marking devotion, sacrifice and communal celebrations.
Earlier, an important meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee was held in Karachi to sight the Zilhaj moon and announce the date of Eid-ul-Azha, as reports of moon sightings from the port city intensified public anticipation.
Earlier, meetings of zonal Ruet-e-Hilal committees were also held across different cities of the country. In Multan, the zonal committee meeting concluded after continuing for nearly one and a half hours, with officials confirming that the Zilhaj moon was not sighted there.
In Lahore, the deadline for moon sighting passed despite clear weather conditions in the city. Officials said no evidence of moon sighting had been received from Lahore or surrounding areas by the cut-off time. The zonal committee meeting in Lahore, however, continued until the official moon sighting deadline for Punjab expired.
Similarly, the zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting in Islamabad also ended without any confirmed sighting of the moon.
All eyes are now on the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee in Karachi, which is expected to issue the final nationwide announcement regarding the beginning of Zilhaj and the date for Eid-ul-Azha after completing scrutiny of the witness accounts.