The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting is currently underway at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore to sight the moon for the month of Muharram 1448 Hijri. The session is being chaired by the committee's chairman, Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, who is leading the proceedings along with members and representatives from the Pakistan Meteorological Department.
Simultaneous Zonal and District Meetings
In addition to the central meeting, zonal and district committees are also convening at their respective headquarters across the country. Testimonies regarding the sighting of the moon are being received from Lahore and other parts of Pakistan, which will be considered before the final announcement.
Meteorological Department’s Assessment
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the moon was born at 7:54 am today. However, by 7:52 pm, its age was only 11 hours and 45 minutes, which is insufficient for sighting. The department noted that in June, the moon should be at least 21 hours and 20 minutes old for it to be visible.
Earlier this month, the Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council had indicated that Muharram 1448 AH would likely begin in Pakistan on Wednesday, June 17, as the new moon was not expected to be visible anywhere in the country on the evening of June 15, based on astronomical calculations.
Expert Analysis on Moon Visibility
Khalid Ejaz Mufti, Secretary General of the council, explained that the new moon was born at 7:54 am PST on June 15. By sunset on the same day, the moon’s age was less than 12 hours across Pakistan, significantly below the minimum age generally required for crescent sighting. He also highlighted that the interval between sunset and moonset is another crucial factor; on June 15, this difference was expected to be 37 minutes in Karachi and 42 minutes in Peshawar. Despite these intervals, the moon’s young age made crescent sighting unlikely.
According to Mufti, the crescent was not visible on the evening of June 15 even under clear weather conditions, whether observed with the naked eye, binoculars, or telescopes. The final decision on the moon sighting will be announced by the chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after reviewing all testimonies and evidence.
