People in Pakistan are vying for more than the last 60 years to celebrate Eid and start Ramazan on the same day throughout the country, as the government nominated Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and unofficial moon sighting committees in different provinces always try to show upper hand pretending that their moon sighting data carries more weight.
The government at the centre is least interested in following the suggestion of the NWFP government in Saudi Arabian calendar as far as religious festivals are concerned. Differences among the government nominated central committee and the unofficial committees is the root cause of not observing Eid and starting Ramazan on the same day in every nook and corner of the country, a senior official of the Ministry told Business Recorder here on Saturday.
He said that the central committee feels insulting to follow the unofficial committees who use to announce the dates of religious festivals even before the creation of Pakistan. He revealed that a meeting was held in the ministry under the auspices of the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi in which a large number of the renowned Ulemas, members of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committees and senior officials of the ministry participated.
Thoroughly examining and discussing the issue in the light of the teachings of the holy Quran and Sunna it was decided that it is not possible to start fasting month and Eid on the same dates as is being done in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There are five zonal committees one each in the provinces and the central committee under the chairmanship of the Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman.
The central committee comprises 6 members from the Barelvi sect, 4 from the Deobandi, one each from Ahle Hadith and Shia sects while it has 2 technical members. Province-wise data shows there are 5 members from Sindh, 3 each from Punjab and Balochistan, 2 from the capital and only one from the NWFP in the central committee. Similarly, each zonal committee has 6 members two each from the Barelvi and Deobandi sects and one each from the Ahle Hadith and Shia sects who hold their meetings in their respective provincial headquarters.
All of the members including the chairman are honorary and paid only TA and DA for the meeting day. He lamented that in spite of having six committees most of the time we fail to observe Eid and start Ramazan on the same day in the country. He said that there are two popular unofficial committees including Masjid Qasim Ali Khan in Peshawar and the Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Afghan at Rajar formulated before the existence of Pakistan.
These also comprise religious scholars and people who fully believe in them, even if the government banned these committees, they perform their job. He said that the government nominated committee could play a major role by taking the unofficial committee members in confidence to avoid any confusion. The central committee should arrange joint meeting and invite the unofficial members and examine their evidences in the light of the Islamic teachings, adding that if they do not fulfil Shariah rules turn them down.
The upcoming meeting of the central committee for the moon sighting scheduled to be held in Karachi, the central committee could also make sighting arrangement in Peshawar, in which the dissident Ulema could be invited. He said starting fasting and observing Eid on one date all over the country inculcate national unity and brotherhood. He said the government and clerics should work to help the people not fell prey to sectarianism.