Ramazan likely to begin on 17th

Islamabad: There is a greater likelihood of Ramazan, the Islamic month of fasting, beginning on May 17 due to the sighting of the new moon.

The country's main moon-sighting body, Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, will meet on May 16 to gather evidence from across the country about the sighting of the crescent before announcing the start of Ramazan.

It will be assisted by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, and Pakistan Navy. According to a senior official of the PMD, Islamabad, the first Ramazan is likely to fall on May 17 as the chances of the fasting month's moon being sighted on May 16 are very high due to clear skies. He said the Ramazan moon would be born on 4:49pm on May 16 and its age would be 26 hours and 45 minutes.