ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central moonsighting committee said on Friday that Eid Al-Adha will be celebrated across the country on June 17 after announcing the commencement of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, from June 8.
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee met under the chairmanship of Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad at the Pakistan Meteorological Department building in the southern Karachi port city where its members gathered information from various zonal committee spread all over the country.
Muslims sight the moon for Dhu Al-Hijjah to determine the dates of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and Eid Al-Adha.
Addressing a news conference after the meeting, Maulana Azad named various Pakistani cities where the moon had been sighted.
“It was decided with consensus that, God willing, the 1st of Dhu Al-Hijjah 1445 Hijri will be on Saturday, June 8, 2024,” he said. “And Eid Al-Adha will be on Monday, June 17, 2024.”
Pakistan has already sent over 98,000 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and the rest of its people aspiring to undertake their spiritual journey will arrive in the kingdom in the next few days.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Every adult Muslim is required to perform the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime if they have adequate financial means and physical ability.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which around 70,000 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will be facilitated by private tour operators.
