A citizen has approached the Islamabad High Court with a petition regarding the sighting of the Eid moon.
According to reports, the court heard a petition seeking orders for an early announcement after the moon is sighted. During the hearing, the court sought a report from the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
During the proceedings, Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar remarked that the announcement can only be made once the moon is actually sighted.
He explained that testimonies of moon sighting are first collected from all four provinces, followed by a meeting, after which a final decision is made — which is why the process takes time.
He further stated that no announcement can be made without moon sighting, adding that the court will review the matter after receiving the report.
The petitioner, Abdullah Shafiq, appeared in person and requested the court to direct the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to announce the moon sighting promptly. He argued that delays in announcements cause people to offer Taraweeh prayers unnecessarily and lead to a sudden rush in markets late at night.
The petitioner also requested that authorities be directed to take measures to maintain law and order, and suggested that markets—except for Eid shopping outlets—should remain closed.
He urged the court to make it mandatory for the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to immediately announce the sighting of the moon. The court adjourned the hearing after seeking a report from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, without setting a date for the next hearing.
Also Read: Eid moon sighting: Central Ruet-e-Hilal committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow
