QUETTA: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has announced that Muharram moon has not been sighted and the first Muharram will be on Thursday and Ashura will be observed on July 29, 2023.

This was announced by the Central Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad after presiding over a meeting of the committee held in Quetta on Tuesday for sighting the Crescent of Muharram-ul-Haram 1445 Hijri.

The meetings of Zonal and District Ruet-e-Hilal Committees were also be held at their respective Headquarters at the same time and all of them reported that moon was not sighted any part of the country.

Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) citing astronomical parameters said there was slim chances of sighting the Muharram moon on July 18 (Tuesday), which would mark the beginning of the new Islamic year, 1445 AH.

As per the Met Department, the new moon would be born on the crossing conjunction point at 11:32pm on July 17 (Monday). Therefore, the crescent will be sighted the next day.

“According to astronomical parameters, there is a slight chance of sighting the new moon of Muharram, 1445 AH on the evening of 18-07-2023 i.e. on 29th of Zilhaj, 1444 AH,” the PMD said in a notification issued in this regard.

The Met Department also cited the climate record, according to which the weather is expected to be partly cloudy or cloudy in most parts of the country.