ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central moon sighting committee will meet today, Friday, to sight the crescent for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Pakistani state media reported.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, wherein Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset for a month.
This is followed by the sighting of the new moon and is marked by Eid Al-Fitr, a religious holiday and celebration that is observed by Muslims across the world.
“A meeting of Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will be held in Peshawar on Friday for the sighting of the Moon of Ramadan ul Mubarak,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad will preside over the meeting, according to the report.
“The Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will also meet separately at their respective headquarters,” it read.
Pakistan’s national space agency has forecast that the Ramadan moon will be invisible to the naked eye on Feb. 28, which means that the South Asian country will likely mark the beginning of the holy month from Mar. 2.
The crescent will be difficult to sight on Friday due to its low altitude and distance, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency. The angular distance between the sun and the moon will be 7 degrees on Feb. 28, making the crescent “invisible to the naked eye” that day, it added.
But in Pakistan, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is tasked with sighting the moon for new Islamic months. Dates for Ramadan and Eid festivals are confirmed by the committee through visual observations and based on testimonies received of the crescent being sighted from several parts of the country.
Pakistan moon sighting committee to meet today to sight Ramadan crescent
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Pakistan moon sighting committee to meet today to sight Ramadan crescent
- Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, wherein Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset
- This is followed by the sighting of the new moon and is marked by Eid Al-Fitr, a religious holiday observed by Muslims worldwide
Pakistan’s deputy PM says country seeks to convert $1 billion UAE deposit into investment
- Ishaq Dar says the UAE will acquire shares in Pakistani companies using the amount, with transaction to be completed by March 31
- The UAE’s remaining $2 billion in deposits, part of funds used to shore up Pakistan’s foreign reserves, are due for rollover in January
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is seeking to convert part of its financial support from the United Arab Emirates into long-term investment to reduce external debt, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday, following talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to Islamabad.
Dar said Pakistan was engaged with the UAE on converting $1 billion in deposits into equity investment, potentially involving stakes in companies linked to the Fauji Fertilizer Group, a move that would end Pakistan’s repayment obligation on that portion of the funds.
The UAE has been one of Pakistan’s key financial backers in recent years, providing $3 billion in deposits to the central bank as part of a broader effort to stabilize the country’s external finances and unlock support from the International Monetary Fund.
Speaking at a year-end briefing, Dar said Pakistan had already begun discussions with the UAE on rolling over the first $1 billion tranche, but Islamabad now wanted to replace short-term borrowing with investment.
“They will be acquiring some shares, and this liability will end,” Dar said, adding that discussions were under way for the transaction to be completed by March 31.
Dar said the Fauji Foundation Group was taking the lead in the process, with plans for partial disinvestment by Fauji-linked and other companies to facilitate the deal.
He added that Pakistan also raised the issue of a separate $2 billion rollover due in January during talks with the UAE leadership, saying Islamabad had conveyed that converting debt into investment would be preferable to repeated rollovers.
The issue was discussed during Al Nahyan’s visit, which Dar described as cordial, adding that the UAE had expressed willingness to expand its investment footprint in Pakistan.
Pakistan has relied on repeated rollovers of deposits from friendly countries to manage its balance-of-payments pressures, a practice economists say provides short-term relief but adds to debt vulnerabilities unless replaced with foreign direct investment.
The country acquired $5 billion from Saudi Arabia and $4 billion from China, which, along with the UAE, helped shore up its foreign reserves and meet IMF conditions at a time when its external account was under severe pressure.
Dar said Pakistan was now focused on shifting from temporary financing toward longer-term capital inflows to stabilize its economy and reduce reliance on external borrowing.
