Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday (today) in Pakistan, announced the central moon-sighting committee here after receiving several confirmations of the moon sighting from various cities and towns. The announcement was made by Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman along with members of the committee in a press conference after chairing a meeting of the body.
"We have received conformations and evidence of the Shawwal moon moon-sighting from various cities and towns upon which we unanimously announced that Eid-ul-Fitr in Pakistan will be observed on Monday (June 26)," he said. He said that various confirmations were received from Lahore, Multan, Nawab Shah, Sanghar, Pakpatan, Burewala and other parts of the country where witnesses have the moon of Shawwal.
He also expressed his sorrow over the recent deaths in terrorist attacks in Parachinar, Quetta and Karachi as well as the oil tanker fire incident in Bahawalpur earlier in the day and also urged the nation to remember the victims in their Eid prayers. He also expressed solidarity with the armed forces currently engaged in military operations against the militants across Pakistan and also called upon the people to remember them in their prayers.
The day will dawn with special prayers after fajr in mosques for the wellbeing of the Ummah, progress and prosperity of Pakistan. It will be followed by Eid prayers in all the cities, towns and villages. However, this year's Eid celebrations have been eclipsed by the terrorist incidents in Parachinar, Quetta and Karachi as well as the oil tanker incident in Ahmadpur Sharqia, which claimed 138 lives and injured over 150 others. However, Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas on Sunday following a local mosque, Masjid Qasim Ali Khan in Peshawar announced on Saturday that it has received several conformations of the moon sighting from various parts of the province.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, winding up his engagements in London, has decided to immediately return back to country after the oil tanker incident. According to PM Office, the prime minister is leaving for Pakistan on Sunday in the wake of Bahawalpur tragic incident of oil spill. The prime minister noted that the terror incidents on Jumma-tul-Wida and Ahmedpur Sharqia tragedy had grieved the nation immensely. He appealed to the nation to pray for the departed souls and for early recovery of the injured. The Prime Minister also directed for all possible relief to the victims' families.