LAHORE: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Sunday said that the people voted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to government for accountability of the corrupt elements and the party would fulfil all its promises.
He said that people of the country had rejected the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, adding that some senior leaders of the PML-N had refused to work under the leadership of Maryam Nawaz. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Technology on launched Pakistan’s first official moon-sighting website and lunar calendar. Speaking on the occasion, Fawad Chaudhry said that as per lunar calendar, Eidul Fitr would be celebrated on June 5, 2019, and Eidul Azha on August 12 this year.
Addressing a press conference here at Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), he said that lunar calendar had been prepared with the help of experts and included important dates from 2019 till 2024. According to the five-year lunar calendar, this year’s Eid will be on June 5. The next four Eids would be on May 24, 2020; May 3, 2021; April 22, 2022 and April 10, 2023. Ch Fawad said that the online portal, comprising both website and mobile application, could help people check the position of moon, adding that the calendar would end the moon-sighting controversies once and for all. He said that the calendar would not diminish the role of religious scholars, adding that the latest technology should be used for important issues like moon-sighting. The application was prepared with feedback from experts of the Meteorological Department and Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), he said and added that the application would be available from Monday on the Google play store.
Through this application, moon’s existence over eight strategic locations would be mapped, he added.
The proposal has been sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology, and it would also be presented before the federal cabinet on Tuesday.
He also announced that August would be declared as the Science and Technology Month. Khalid Kheshgi adds from Peshawar: Noted religious scholar and head of the unofficial Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Qasim Ali Khan Mosque, Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai has said he has no objection to the launching of Islamic calendar but it should not be applied for observing Ramazan and Eidul Fitr.
"I have not been consulted by anyone regarding Islamic calendar, but I must say that Ramazan and Eidul Fitr must be observed after moon-sighting as per Sharia and Islamic injunctions," he told The News.
Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai said the local unofficial Ruet-Hilal Committee would hold its meeting on 29th Ramazan at Qasim Ali Khan Mosque, Peshawar and if it received solid witnesses about moon-sighting it would announce Eidul Fitr.
"We welcome the launching of Islamic calendar. It should be displayed in government offices, public places and homes to know about Islamic (lunar) months and its importance in daily life," he said.
He remarked that Federal Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry seemed to be more interested in finding space in the press rather than being serious about Islamic calendar.
On being questioned, Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai said he received religious education from Sarhad Madrassa in Peshawar and had been delivering sermons as a khateeb after his father's death in 1983.
"The committee for moon-sighting at Masjid Qasim Ali Khan has been holding its regular meetings since 1825. It never announced Ramazan or Eidul Fitr without solid and Sharia evidence regarding moon-sighting," he said.
He pointed out that there was no proper head or permanent members of the Ruet Hilal Committee based at Qasim Ali Khan Mosque but the local religious scholars regularly assembled at the mosque and received evidence and witnesses from the faithful across the province.
He said he had been under pressure not to hold separate meetings of the unofficial Ruet-e-Hilal Committee for Ramazan and Eidul Fitr moon-sighting.
He admitted that last year he was forced to leave the country and had to go to Dubai, but still the local Ruet-e-Hilal Committee met at Qasim Ali Khan Mosque in his absence and took its decision. "It isn't about an individual making moon-sighting decisions. We have a proper mechanism working for moon-sighting since long at Masjid Qasim Ali Khan," he added.
