The Zilhaj moon has been sighted, hence Eidul Azha will fall on Thursday, June 29, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee said on Monday.

“Thank God, the weather was clear in most areas of Pakistan but cloudy in some. And testimony of the moon being sighted was received from different areas, including Islamabad, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Khanpur, Ghotki, Bahawalnagar, Karachi, Peshawar, and other locations,” committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad said at a press conference in Islamabad.

The Ruet body had met under the chairmanship of Azad at the Kohsar Complex, Pak Secretariat in the federal capital for the Shawwal moon sighting. Separate meetings of the zonal and district Ruet-i-Hilal committees were also held in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta.

“So, it was unanimously decided that hopefully, Zilhajj will begin from June 20, 2023, and Eidul Azha will fall on June 29, Thursday,” he added.

He prayed for the victims of the Greece boat tragedy at the press conference.

The government has announced a three-day public holiday for the occasion of Eid.

Eidul Azha is a major Islamic festival where Muslims gather for prayer, perform acts of charity and sacrifice an animal, mostly sheep.

Eidul Azha commemorates the Quranic tale of the Prophet Ibrahim’s (PBUH) willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah, before the Almighty replaced the son with a ram to be sacrificed instead.

The earlier story contained information about the five-day Eidul Azha holidays. The information was incorrect as the government has announced a three-day public holiday. The error is regretted.