The Hijri year of 1441 has begun with the sighting of the moon of Muharram-ul-Haram in Pakistan, announced the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Saturday.
The committee said that the first month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar will begin on Sunday, September 1 and the day of Ashura will fall on Tuesday, September 10.
The meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee was presided over by its chairman Mufti Munibur Rehman at the Meteorological Complex in Karachi.
Zonal Committees also held their meetings in major cities to collect evidence of moon sighting. They sent the evidence to the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee which made the final decision.
The day of Ashura is marked by Muslims to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions on 10th of Muharram.
Every year, the federal and provincial governments announce two public holidays on 9th and 10th Muharram.
On these days, processions are taken out in all the major cities of the country with government deploying police and paramilitaries to ensure the security of mourners.