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
https://arab.news/2dfek
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
FIFA appoints Pakistani lawmaker to its reforms committee— state media
- Syeda Amnah Batool is the only Pakistani representative serving on various FIFA committees, says state media
- Pakistan’s ties with FIFA have seen ups and downs, with the global body suspending Islamabad thrice in eight years
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani lawmaker Syeda Amnah Batool has been appointed to FIFA’s Institutional Reforms Committee, making her the sole representative from her country on various committees of the global football body, state media reported on Thursday.
FIFA’s reforms committee determines how the global football body is governed, operates and interacts with member associations and other football stakeholders.
Syeda Amnah Batool is a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. She also serves as focal person to the Prime Minister’s Youth Program.
“The appointment marks a significant achievement for Pakistan in both the sporting and diplomatic spheres, as Syeda Amna Batool becomes the sole Pakistani representative currently serving on various FIFA committees,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan said in a report.
APP said Batool’s appointment reflects FIFA’s renewed confidence in Pakistan’s institutional direction and its constructive role in global football governance.
The development takes place after FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa’s three-day visit to Pakistan last month. The FIFA official discussed the development of football infrastructure with Pakistani football executives and government officials during his trip.
Pakistan’s relations with FIFA have improved recently, with the global body suspending Pakistan as a member three times over the past eight months. It last suspended Pakistan in February this year after the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) rejected its electoral reforms.
FIFA lifted the suspension a month later in March when the PFF unanimously approved FIFA’s proposed constitutional amendments in an extraordinary meeting.
Football has long been popular among Pakistan’s youth but in recent years participation has grown at the grassroots level amid rising interest in international leagues.
Local tournaments, school competitions, and community clubs across major cities have further fueled enthusiasm for the sport.
