Pakistanis performing prayers

ISLAMABAD, November 15 (IslamOnline.net) - The Pakistani government has decided Saturday, November 15, to enlist a representative from the metrological department to join the moon sighting committee to determine the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

This is the first time since the inception of the committee more than thirty years ago that a scientist has been invited to attend a meeting of the moon sighting committee.

The government has set up the committee after coming under harsh criticism for failing to sight the Ramadan moon on the night of October 26, while many villagers and laypeople had spotted the first sliver of the new moon and began fasting.

According to a committee member, the chairman remained adamant not to announce the moon sighting despite various evidence from different people, getting a clear majority of people to start fasting on October 28.

This is not the first time that in some parts of the country Ramadan has started a day earlier. But what is new is that at least two members of the moon sighting committee are in open revolt against the chairman and have announced to hold a separate meeting for Shawal moon sighting the same day in central northwestern city of Peshawar.

"We did have evidence from various different sources that moon had been sighted in some areas in the north of the country on October 26, but the chairman remained adamant that Ramadan would start on 28," Maulana Hasan Jan, senior member of the committee told IslamOnline.net.

He said had the chairman accepted those evidences, we could have all the 30 days of Ramadan but now he said Pakistani would only have 29 days of fasting as the Eid al-Fitr moon is most likely to be sighted on November 25.

The metrological department seems to be in agreement with Maulana as they have announced, after a careful astronomical assessment and weather forecast that Shawal moon would be sighted on November 25; hence, the Eid could be celebrated a day later.