Muharram moon not sighted, Ashura on July 17

QUETTA: The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee on Saturday announced that the Muharram moon was not sighted in Pakistan, hence the first of Muharram will fall on July 8 (Monday).

Accordingly, the Ashura — Muharram 10 — will be observed on July 17 (Wednesday).

The meeting for the sighting was presided over by committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.

While making the announcement, Maulana Azad said that meetings of zonal crescent sighting committees were held in all the provinces, but no evidence was received from any part of the country.

Muharram is the month of mourning for the seventh-century martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), during the battle of Karbala.

Security is beefed up across the country for the many processions taken out by the believers.

Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) citing astronomical parameters said there were slim chances of sighting the Muharram moon on July 6 which will mark the beginning of the new Islamic year, 1446 AH.

PMD, in its statement issued on June 20, said that the new moon of Muharram would be born on the crossing conjunction point at 03:57 PST on July 6.