The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Tuesday announced that the meeting for the Ramadan moonsighting was scheduled for March 22 at Provincial Awqaf in Peshawar, after the Asr prayer, under the chairmanship of Maulana Syed Abdul Khabir Azad.

Taking to its official handle, the ministry released its press release with the subject “Arrangements for sighting the crescent of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak 1444 AH/2023.”

“The central meeting for the sighting of the moon of Ramadan will be held on Wednesday, March 22 (corresponding to 29 Shaban) after Asr prayer at Provincial Awqaf Peshawar under the chairmanship of Chairman Maulana Syed Abdul Khabir Azad.”

“Meetings of other zonal committees will be held at their respective locations including the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Kohsar Block,” the ministry tweeted.

Signed by Assistant Director Naseer Ud Din, the press release read: “I am directed to notify that the meeting of Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee for [the] sighting [of] the crescent of Ramdan-ul-Mubarak 1444 AH will be held in the evening of Wednesday the 22nd March 2023 (29th Shaban 1444 Hijri) in the building of Auqaf Department, Peshawar.

“Whereas, [the] meetings of Zonal/District Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will be held at their respective Headquarters at the same time. Similarly, the meeting of the Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, ICT will be held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmon, 1st Floor Kohsar Block, Pak. Secretariat, Islamabad.”

The press release further instructed that all information about the position of the crescent may be conveyed to Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Moulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, Syed Mushahid Hussain Khalid, and Hafiz Abdul Qudoos.

“The chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will announce the decision of crescent sighting or otherwise subsequently on the basis of information received to this end,” the statement said.