ISLAMABAD: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the body that announces the lunar calendar in Pakistan, said on Tuesday the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan would begin in the country today, Wednesday, as the president urged citizens to follow coronavirus standard operating procedures.
The moon-sighting committee announced its decision after a meeting in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Tuesday evening.
Last year, the Pakistani government and Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the newly appointed chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, agreed for the first time to work together and use scientific data to determine the sighting of the moon, which has for decades faced an annual controversy.
The beginning of the ninth and holiest month in the Muslim calendar, as well as the Eid holidays and the mourning month of Muharram, are determined by the sighting of the new moon in Pakistan, with the cleric-led Ruet-e-Hilal committee announcing when fasting should begin.
Pakistan’s science and technology minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had already announced earlier this month that Ramadan would begin on April 14.
In a statement, Pakistani President Dr. Arif Alvi urged the public to follow coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) during Ramadan.
“Fasting led to piety, which also meant that life should be led carefully, especially when the whole world was worried over the third wave of coronavirus pandemic,” the president said. “It was a national and religious duty to implement the precautionary measures.”
Earlier this month, Pakistan announced new health guidelines for Ramadan, including banning the entry of people older than 50 years and adolescents in mosques and shrines during the holy month. The Pakistan government has said mosques around the country would remain open during Ramadan with strict adherence to COVID-19 standard operating procedures.
In shadow of coronavirus third wave, Ramadan starts in Pakistan today
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In shadow of coronavirus third wave, Ramadan starts in Pakistan today
- Moon-sighting committee announced first fast on April 14 after a meeting in Peshawar on Tuesday evening
- President Alvi urges the public to strictly follow coronavirus guidelines during the holy month of fasting and worship
Pakistan, UK launch £10 million higher education partnership
- Pak-UK Education Gateway second phase expands climate research, scholarships, university exchanges
- First phase was launched in 2018 and delivered 165 partnerships, 2,000 joint studies and £5 million in grants
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the British Council have launched the £10 million second phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, the HEC said on Monday, a joint initiative aimed at deepening collaboration between universities in both countries on research, mobility and higher-education reform.
The program, funded equally by the HEC and the British Council, builds on a partnership launched in 2018 and seeks to strengthen institutional ties between Pakistani and British universities, focusing on shared challenges including climate change, skills development and economic growth.
Education cooperation has become an increasingly important pillar of broader Pakistan-UK relations, as both countries look to expand academic mobility, research collaboration and international recognition of qualifications at a time when higher-education systems face pressure to respond to climate risks, labor-market shifts and funding constraints.
“This £10 million partnership is set to deepen collaboration between UK and Pakistani universities on critical issues like Climate Change and Mobility. A true system-to-system commitment,” the HEC said in an X post.
According to the British Council and HEC, the first phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway supported 165 institutional partnerships, generated around 2,000 joint research papers and awarded £5 million in research grants. Officials say the second phase aims to build on that foundation as part of a longer-term effort to internationalize Pakistan’s higher-education sector.
“Education is the building block of growth and prosperity. Our work on education in Pakistan supports people throughout their lives: from helping reform education policy at the school level, to our strong partnership in higher education,” British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said in a statement.
“This next phase builds on our already strong relationship, and will unlock opportunities to help both our higher education sectors thrive.”
Opportunities under the second phase include increased funding for scholarships, joint research grants and faculty exchanges, alongside a Start-Up Challenge Fund to support Pakistan-UK university collaborations pursuing commercial opportunities and access to new markets.
The program will also focus on leadership and governance reforms within Pakistan’s higher-education system, including quality assurance, improved campus accessibility for people with disabilities, and greater participation of women in senior leadership roles. It further aims to expand opportunities for Pakistani students to study UK-accredited courses without leaving their home cities, alongside a commitment to mutual recognition of qualifications.
Pakistan’s Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the initiative had already delivered concrete results since its launch in 2018, calling education “the bridge that connects people, cultures, and futures.”
Acting HEC Chairperson Nadeem Mahbub described the Gateway as a system-to-system partnership rather than a stand-alone program, noting that it had benefited institutions and students in both countries.
