A meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled for Tuesday to determine the sighting of Shawwalul Mukarram moon at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.

Headed by Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, the meeting will see the participation of members from various institutions, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Pakistan Meteorological Department, and the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco).

Among the notable attendees are Director General Syed Mushahid Hussain Khalid, along with prominent figures such as Allama Muhammad Dr Hussain Akbar, Mufti Fazl Jamil Rizvi, and Maulana Muhammad Yasin Zafar, among others.

Zonal members from Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar will also contribute to the deliberations.

Emphasizing the importance of public involvement, Maulana Azad encouraged citizens to ‘actively engage’ in moon sighting efforts for Shawwalul Mukarram.

Individuals are urged to report any sightings to designated contact numbers: Chairman (0321-9410041/0333-9100619), Director General Religious Affairs (0300-6831822), and the Office of Director Religious Affairs (051-9201425).

Eid ul Fitr is observed on the first day of Shawwal. A formal announcement for the date of Eid date is made after the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meets to sight the moon on the 29th day of Ramadan.

This year, Eidul Fitr is expected to fall on April 10 or April 11, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Eid is a significant festival in the Islamic calendar. Muslims all over the world observe a month of fasting, and Eid celebrations mark the end of this period of self-restraint.

Earlier this week, the federal government announced holidays for Eidul Fitr 2024 on Thursday. According to the notification, the holidays will begin on April 10, which falls on Wednesday.

The holidays will last a different duration based on whether offices work five or six days a week. For offices working five days a week, the holidays will last till April 12 while they will extend to April 13 for offices working six days a week.