In a bid to ensure celebration of Eidul Fitr across Pakistan on the same day, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf held a crucial meeting with Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Masjid Qasim Ali Khan on Tuesday.
The minister, after the meeting, announced that witnesses of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan regarding sighting of Eid moon would be forwarded to the Central Ruet-e-Hilal (moon sighting) Committee.
“The committee would be asked to wait for Popalzai’s witnesses before making the final announcement,” he added.
It may be mentioned that Masjid Qasim Ali Khan has been traditionally sighting moon every year separately from the central committee and most of the times followers of this mosque in Peshawar and nearby areas observe Eid and Ramzan a day before the whole nation.
“Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai has given me suggestions regarding moon sighting and it is up to us to implement them. All the discussion we had today with Popalzai was for reconciliation,” Sardar Yousuf said.
During the meeting, Popalzai asked the minister to give a representative from his mosque a seat in the Central Ruet-e Hilal Committee. He told reporters that he had told reasons behind the conflict and agreement to the government.