Holiday announced on start of New Islamic Year

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a public holiday across the province on the 1st of Muharram-ul-Haram to mark the beginning of the Islamic New Year and the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA), the second Caliph.

According to a notification issued by the KP Administration Department, the holiday will be subject to the sighting of the Muharram moon.

The notification states that all government offices and educational institutions across the province will remain closed on the 1st of Muharram. Meanwhile, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to meet to sight the Muharram moon and determine the beginning of the new Islamic year.

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The meeting will be chaired by Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad. Officials from the Pakistan Meteorological Department, SUPARCO, and the Ministry of Science and Technology will also participate.

At the same time, zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meetings will be held in different cities across the country to collect moon-sighting reports. After reviewing reports from the central and zonal committees, the chairman will announce the final decision on the sighting of the Muharram moon and the beginning of the new Islamic year.