Cases registered against two clerics, seven others for fake moon sighting in N Waziristan

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Police have registered cases against two clerics and seven other people in North Waziristan after they falsely testified to sighting the Eid moon and making an announcement.

According to police, cases have been registered against Maulvi Rafiullah of the Haider Khel Mosque and Qari Muhammad Roman of the Miranshah Mosque along with seven others accused of witnessing the moon and making an announcement.

The cases have been registered under the Ehtram-e-Ramazan Ordinance, 1981, the control of loudspeakers ordinance, and other provisions.

On Tuesday, a local, unregulated and unregistered Ruet-e-Hilal Committee had made an announcement regarding the sighting of the Eid moon after receiving seven fake testimonies. Consequently, several other mosques in the region followed suit without verification.

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meets for Shawwal moon sighting

On the other hand, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee's (RHC) meeting to sight the Shawwal moon has started.

The meeting is taking place in Islamabad under the chair of RHC Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.

Members from the central and zonal committees are in attendance, while the RHC will make its decision based on testimonies from different parts of the country.

Officials from the meteorological department, Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), and the Ministry of Science and Technology are also attending the meeting.

The meetings of the zonal committees are taking place at their respective headquarters.

Azad has earlier stated his resolve to ensure that Eid is celebrated on the same day throughout Pakistan.

In Peshawar, the zonal RHC meeting is being held at the Auqaf Hall under the chair of Maulana Ehsaan. He is the chief of the Peshawar zonal RHC.

Maulana Ishaq, Qadri Abdul Rauf and Mufti Fazlullah Jan, Maulana Mohammad Ali Shah, Maulana Irshad Hussain and Maulana Abdul Baseer were also set to partake in the meeting.