PESHAWAR  -   Provincial Minister for Information and Public Relations Shaukat Yousafzai has invited Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee members and Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry to come to Peshawar and sit together with KP govt to find out permanent solution of Ruet (crescent) issue for observance of Ramazan and Eidul Fitr.

He said that there were no differences on moon-sighting issue for Muharram, Eidul Azha and mostly controversies surfaced on moon sighting especially during Ramazan and Shawal months that needed to be addressed on permanent basis.

Talking to media persons, the KP Information Minister said that Ruet was an important Islamic issue and let Chairman Central Ruet Hilal Committee and Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry come to Peshawar and sit together with our eminent religious scholars to address it once and for all.

“We want that next year, Ramazan and Eidul Fitr should start on same day in the entire country,” he said, adding, it would have been better if Federal Minister for Science and Technology avoid his recent tweet on Muharram and Eidul Azha.

While appreciating the hard work of Fawad Chaudhry for preparing a lunar calendar and moon-sighting App, the Minister said that it would have been better if Fawad Chaudhry made consultation with Central Ruet Hilal Committee over such important Islamic subject.

He said that Fawad’s tweet would further increase differences.

He said that KP govt has announced to keep a ‘Qaza fast’ as compensation of the fast missed in the begging of Ramazan in order to complete 29 fast of the holy month of Ramazan.

“All those people, who kept 28 fast should keep one extra fast to complete 29 fast,’ he said, adding, this decision has been taken with consultation of Ulema Karam.

“We have started fasting as per the announcement of Chairman Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Muneeb-ur-Rehman but beginning the fast a day earlier would have been more accurate,” the Minister said, adding, we will fast for one extra day as compensation for the missed fast.

‘Before Eid, I have made it clear to keep one more fast as compensation,” he said, adding, we have seen celebration of three Eidul Fitre on same year during last 15 to 20 years and it was because that no attention was paid to Ruet issue in the past.

“Ruet Hilal Committee did not ask from us why three-three Eids are being celebrated in KP.”

The Minister said that KP Government has a great desire that all relevant stakeholders should sit together and address this important issue permanently.

Eminent religious scholar, Mufti Muhammad Zubair said that we need to find permanent solution of this important religious issue and urged people to keep one ‘Qaza’ fast as compensation of the missed fast of the holy month of Ramazan. 

Chairman Qasim Ali Khan Mosque, Mufti Shahuddin Populzai endorsed the decision of KP Government for keeping one extra fast and termed it right decision to complete 29 fast of Ramazanul Mubarak.

It may be recalled that on June 3, KP Information Minister had announced that the provincial government after taking into account testimonies of moon-sighting from all over the province has decided to celebrate Eidul Fitr on June 4 (Tuesday).

He said that the KP government has received a number of testimonies for Shawwal moon-sighting from the former federal administrative Tribal Areas and hence Eidul Fitr was celebrated on June 4 in KP.

In other provinces of Pakistan, Eidul Fitr was celebrated on June 5.