Ramadan moon has been sighted in Pakistan, Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee said that holy month to begin in Pakistan on Thursday, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel.
The announcement was made by committee chairman, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, as it met in Peshawar for the moon sighting.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Khabir Azad said that the skies were clear in some areas and cloudy in others.
He said that testimonies were received from several parts of the country, including Quetta, Islamabad, Waziristan, Dir, Karachi, Buner, Mardan and Tando Allahyar. “Therefore, it was decided with consensus that the first day of Ramazan would be on Thursday,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to Bangladeshi media, the crescent moon was also sighted in Bangladesh.
Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan observed their first day of fasting on Wednesday after the crescent moon was sighted on Tuesday night.
Earlier, meeting of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee was held in Peshawar to sight the Ramadan moon.
The committee chairman, Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad,was presiding over the meeting at the Auqaf Department building.
The zonal and district Ruet-i-Hilal Committees in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and other cities have also gathered to sight the new moon.
Earlier this month, based on the moon’s expected age, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) predicted that the first day of Ramazan was likely to fall on February 19.
However, Suparco said the final announcement regarding the beginning of the holy month would be made by the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee.