by Obaid Abbasi
The ministry of religious affairs has geared up efforts to provide a legal status to the controversial Ruet-e- Hilal Committee (RHC) after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assembly passed a resolution supporting the federal government in the matter.
The RHC was established in 1974 through a parliamentary resolution and has been working since then at both the central and district levels without any legal or constitutional status. The ministry had already prepared a draft to empower the committee so that it could be legalised, but resolutions were required from two provincial assemblies for its approval. The Punjab assembly had already passed a resolution in favour of the committee.
Ministry of Religious Affairs Director General (DG) of Research Noor Salam told Pakistan Today that the ministry has called a meeting next week to which representatives of all the provinces will be invited to finalise the draft of the legal formalisation.
Conflicts over the onset of Ramazan and Eid usually occur when Masjid Qasim Khan in KP claims moon sightings which often contradict the findings of the RHC.
After KP’s resolution, the legal requirements have been fulfilled and the ministry will expedite its efforts so that the biannual confusion over the declaration of Ramzan and Eid can be put to an end, explained the official.
In 2014, three Eids were celebrated in the country as the committee and religious scholars from KP failed to reach a consensus on the moon sighting.
Under the proposed draft, scientific methods would be used for the moon sightings and more input will be obtained from meteorologists and astronomers.
Currently, the 24-member RHC is working under the chairmanship of Mufti Munibur Rehman who has was appointed in 2001.
