–RHRC secretary general says moon would be sighted on Wednesday eve
LAHORE: The holy month of Ramzan is expected to begin in Pakistan from Thursday this year, announced Secretary General of Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council (RHRC) Khalid Ejaz Mufti.
The new moon will be sighted only if its age is more than 19 hours at sunset and the difference between sunset and moonset should also be more than 40 minutes, said Mufti.
“The age of the new moon on the evening of Wednesday will be more than 26 hours in all cities of Pakistan,” said the RHRC secretary-general.
The difference between sunset and moonset will also be 58-60 minutes in various important cities of the country.
RHRC members are confident that the new moon would be visible in all cities of Pakistan on Wednesday, May 16 if there are no clouds in the sky, said Mufti.
UTILITY STORES START SELLING SUBSIDISED ITEMS:
Utility Stores Cooperation (USC) outlets on Monday started selling food items at subsidized rates across the country under the Ramazan Relief Package 2018.
According to details, the subsidy has been offered on more than 19 food items. The government had offered more than Rs1.73 billion subsidy and relief will be offered from 5 per cent to 80 per cent. The government offered will remain till the last day of Ramzan.
Utility Stores Cooperation (USC) Managing Director Habib-ur- Rehman on Monday formally launched the subsidy offer. Addressing the gathering, the managing director was determined to ensure availability of relief food items at all utility stories across the country.
He said that all preparations had been made to provide relief to the masses. The managing director said no leniency will be practiced with the staff found involved in corruption. Habib-ur Rehman said to keep the relief package bar from corruption, special anti-corruption committees have been established across the country. The committees will pay surprise visits to the utility stores and assess the performance of the workers.
The managing director said the USC board will decide about the confirmation of jobs of all daily wage and contractual employees.
He said more than 1,000 stores running in loss will be merged in profit earning stores in the country. He said in the past, the cooperation was looted badly, adding that now on one would be allowed to further dirt his/her hands.
He informed the media persons that many cases of corrupt officials are under trial in FIA and NAB. The cooperation has filed hundreds of cases against the corrupt officials.
He said the relief package is for poor masses and to secure it for corrupt elements, special committees have been formed.
He informed that as many as five utility stories would be computerized in every region and these stores will be connected with Regional Warehouse so that unnecessary supply and other issued can be addressed.
He hoped that if this experiment remained a success, more utility stores will be computerized in the future.