With the holy month of Ramadan drawing to a close, anticipation mounts as the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee prepares for the crucial task of sighting the Shawwal crescent on Tuesday (April 9) in Islamabad.

Under the chairmanship of Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, the committee will convene at the Kohsar Complex to determine the sighting of the moon, marking the end of Ramadan and signaling the joyous occasion of Eid ul Fitr.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Maulana Azad will preside over the meeting, which will gather members of the committee alongside officials from the meteorology department, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

In line with tradition, testimonies regarding the sighting of the Shawwal moon will be presented during the meeting. Maulana Azad will subsequently announce the decision based on these testimonies, indicating whether the moon has been sighted or not.

Should the moon be sighted on Tuesday, Eid ul Fitr will be celebrated on Wednesday (April 10). However, if the crescent remains unseen, Eid will be observed on Thursday.

Simultaneously, meetings of zonal and district committees will be held across the country after Asr prayers, further facilitating the moon sighting process.

Predictions

In a bid to assist with predictions, the Meteorological Department has forecasted strong chances of the Shawwal moon being sighted on April 9. The crescent is expected to be born on April 8 at 11:21 PM and will be approximately 19 to 20 hours old by the time of Maghrib prayer the next day. Observers may have a window of over 50 minutes around sundown to spot the crescent.

As the nation eagerly awaits the decision of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the government has already announced public holidays for Eid ul Fitr. Offices operating five days a week will observe three public holidays from April 10 to 12, while those operating six days a week will enjoy four public holidays from April 10 to 13.