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ISLAMABAD: Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated throughout the country and Azad Kashmir today [Tuesday] with religious fervour and festivity marking the culmination of the holy month of Ramadan.

Prayers

The Faithful will offer Eid prayers at mosques, Eidgahs, and open places throughout Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Special prayers for the progress and prosperity of the country, unity of the Ummah, solution of their problems and liberation of Muslim territories, including occupied Kashmir and Palestine would be offered.

In the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the Eid congregations would be held at more than 300 places.

In Islamabad, the biggest congregation would be held at the grand Faisal Mosque at 8:30 am, where the high-ups of the government will offer Eid prayers. In Rawalpindi the biggest Eid congregation would be held at the historic Liaquat Bagh. 

The government has declared Eid holidays from November 26 to 29, and paid
advanced salaries to its employees for enabling them to meet their Eid expenses.

Communication

On this occasion, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has also offered a package of reduced tariff rates on Eid days to encourage people to exchange Eid greetings with their near and dear ones.

The Radio and Television have chalked out a series of special programmes on the occasion of Eid.

Shawwal Moon

Earlier, Chairman of Central Rouat-e-Hilal Committee Prof. Hafiz Mufti Munib ur Rehman announced that the Shawwal moon has been sighted and the Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated today on Nov 26 (Wednesday).

He made this announcement after receiving information from different parts of the country including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, D.I. Khan, Parachenar, Chitral, Haripur, Rawalakot, Kotli, Attock and many other places.

Director General, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Dr. Habib ur Rehman and Director General, Meteorological Department Dr. Qamar uz Zaman also attended the meeting of the Central Rouat-e-Hilal Committee.

Moon-sighting Controversy

Prof. Hafiz Munib ur Rehman explaining the controversy regarding the Eid day said that only Central Rouat-e-Hilal Committee has the power and mandate given by the National Assembly under a resolution passed in 1972 to decide about the sighting of the moon.

He stated that neither provincial nor any district Rouat-e-Hilal Committee has the authority to decide about the sighting of the moon. He said except few places of the NWFP, all the cities of this province will also celebrate Eid ul Fitr today, Wednesday in accordance with the decision of the Central Rouat-e-Hilal Committee announced on Tuesday.

He explained that the divisional and provincial Rouat-e-Hilal committees are only to assist the Central Rouat-e-Hilal Committee and they could not unilaterally announce the decision of the sighting of moon.

Mufti Munib ur Rehman also said that the decision to celebrate Eid ul Fitr on Wednesday is legal and Islamic, while all other decisions are illegal and contrary to Shariah. He said except one member of the Central Rouat-e-Hilal Committee, who had resigned, all the members participated in Tuesday’s meeting, which decided about the sighting of Shawwal moon.