Karachi: A meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has been scheduled today to witness the sighting of the Zil Hajj moon in Pakistan. The Zil Hajj moon has been sighted in Saudi Arabia, indicating that the first day of the Zil Hajj will be on Monday, June 19. The Day of Arafah will be observed on June 27, followed by Eid al-Adha on June 28.
Similarly, in Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has called for a meeting today to ascertain the sighting of the Eid-ul-Adha moon. A formal declaration has also been issued in this regard.
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It is important to note that recently, the National Assembly unanimously passed the Pakistan Sighting Hilal Committee bill, which prohibits any private committee other than the central committee from sighting and announcing the moon. False testimonies will also be treated as a criminal offense, with a punishment of three years imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 rupees.
As per the new law, a Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will be formed, comprising representatives from all schools of thought in the 16-member committee. The bill also imposes a complete ban on moon sightings by private committees, with a fine of up to 500,000 rupees for non-compliance with the law.