The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) announced on Thursday that the chances of sighting the Ramadan crescent on Friday are minimal due to expected cloudy weather.
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to convene in Peshawar on February 28 at 6:30 PM to determine the beginning of the holy month. If the moon is sighted, Ramadan will commence on March 1 (Saturday). The meeting, led by Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, will take place following the Asr prayer.
Zonal committees across the country will also hold meetings in their respective regions to gather and evaluate moon sighting reports, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Religious scholars from different schools of thought will participate in the central session to confirm the start of Ramadan.
The PMD forecasted partly cloudy conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, over the next 24 hours. βDue to the cloud cover, the likelihood of spotting the Ramadan moon remains low,β the Met Office stated.
According to the weather department, the moonβs age at sunset will be around 12 hours, with an angular separation of approximately five degrees between the sun and the moon.
Ramadan, a sacred month observed with great devotion, will see millions of Pakistanis and billions of Muslims worldwide fasting from dawn to dusk. Depending on geographical location, fasting hours will range between 12 and 17 hours.
