LAHORE: Provided the sky is clear and free of clouds, the Eid moon may be sighted on the evening of Tuesday, August 30 (29th Ramazan), consequently Eid being celebrated collectively across the country on August 31.According to Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council Secretary General, Khalid Ejaz Mufti, the new moon could not be sighted until and unless its age was a minimum 20 hours at the time of sunset, at the place of observation, whereas the difference between sunset and moon set (lag time) is more than 40 minutes.However, he said, if the age of the new moon was much higher than 20 hours, the moon would be visible at the lag time of about 33 minutes.
He said that the new moon would be born on August 29, at 08:04 Pakistan Standard Time.The age of the new moon at the time of sunset on Tuesday evening, August 30, will be more than 34 hours in all the areas of the country but on the other hand lag time (difference between sunset and moonset) will be 29 minutes in Peshawar and Rawalpindi/Islamabad, 32 minutes in Lahore, 34 minutes in Quetta and 41 minutes in Gwadar, Jiwani and Karachi.
So the new moon will easily be sighted in cities, including Gwadar, Jiwani, Turbat and Ziarat of Balochistan, Badin, Dadu, Hyderabad, Karachi and Thatta of Sindh. The moon will also be visible in Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Muzaffargarh and DG Khan but it will not be easily visible in the rest of the cities of Punjab and in all cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Khalid Ejaz Mufti said some so-called ulema of Peshawar could announce Eidul Fitr on August 30 by accepting false crescent observations on August 29 but it is pertinent to mention that the age of the moon will be less than 12 hours and the moon will set before sunset in all parts of the country on August 29. – Dailytimes
