Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that Shawwal moon will be sighted in Pakistan after sunset, marking the 1st day of Eid-u-Fitr on May 24.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Fawad Chaudhry told that the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet today to sight the moon but they will surely declare Eid on Monday, May 25.

The minister added that the State was trying to accommodate religious groups when it shouldn’t be. The State is and should be above factions, he said.

Fawad Chaudhry earlier, called for the dissolution of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, saying Eid-ul-Fitr will be on Sunday (May 24) but the Committee wants it to be on Monday.

Chaudhry has been vocal in opposition of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Pakistan’s official moon sighting body.

Islam is a forward looking religion, he said, adding that it started with iqra [read]. It is a religion based on knowledge and science and technology, said Chaudhry, citing the Holy Quran and Hadees of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

He rejected statements by people who said science and technology had no place in Islam.

The minister also slammed ‘Maulvis’ who were fine with wearing glasses to see the moon but not use telescopes. It’s all science and technology, he added.

The Ruet e Hilal Committee will meet today (May 23) in Karachi to decide about the sighting of Moon of Shawwal-ul-Mukarram 1441 Hijri.

Chairman of the Ruet e Hilal Committee, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rahman will chair the meeting.

Earlier, Ministry of Religious Affairs had asked the Meteorological Office to refrain from moon forecasting.

The ministry has maintained that the right is exclusively ordained for the Ruet e Hilal Committee.