Muharram moon sighted, Ashura to fall on July 6
Listen to article
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Thursday announced the sighting of the Muharram-ul-Haram moon for the Islamic year 1447 AH, marking the beginning of the new lunar year from Friday, June 27. Accordingly, Ashura — the 10th of Muharram — will be observed on Sunday, July 6.
The announcement was made by Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad following a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Quetta. Officials from the Pakistan Meteorological Department and the national space agency, SUPARCO, were also in attendance.
Zonal and district moon sighting committee meetings were simultaneously held at their respective headquarters, with the Islamabad zonal committee convening at the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Secretariat.
Read More: Sindh imposes Section 144, bans pillion riding during Ashura
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Maulana Azad confirmed the sighting of the new moon. 'The moon of Muharram-ul-Haram has been sighted. Friday, June 27, will mark the first day of Muharram, while the 9th of Muharram will fall on Saturday, July 5, and Ashura — the 10th of Muharram — will be observed on Sunday, July 6,' he said.
Earlier in the day, the Meteorological Department had noted that dusty conditions in Quetta could reduce the chances of moon visibility. It had projected that the moon would be visible between 8:10 PM and 9:00 PM, with an expected age of 28 hours and 38 minutes.
Pakistan's national space agency, SUPARCO, had also released a forecast regarding the lunar month. It stated that the birth of the Muharram moon was expected on June 25 at 3:32 PM, and by sunset on June 26, the moon's age would be approximately 28 hours and 15 minutes.
The agency noted that coastal areas of the country would have a 75-minute gap between sunset and moonset — conditions considered highly favourable for sighting the new crescent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
15 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PMD warns heavy rainfall today: First spell of monsoon rain brings disruption
KARACHI: The first spell of monsoon rain has brought widespread disruption to Karachi and several cities across Sindh and Balochistan, with urban flooding, water logging, and power outages affecting daily life. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of more heavy rainfall through Saturday, raising concerns about flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas. In Karachi, overnight showers turned streets into water channels in several neighbourhoods including Sher Shah Colony and SITE Town. Overflowing drains, stagnant rainwater, and sewage backflow created serious mobility and health challenges for residents. Electricity supply was also affected in many areas after water entered substations, leading to precautionary shutdowns. The Pakistan Meteorological Department reported that Karachi received between 2 mm and 17 mm of rain, while Mithi recorded 53 mm, Nawabshah 49 mm, and Hyderabad 43 mm. Other cities affected by the wet spell include Sukkur, Larkana, Thatta, Mirpur Khas, Badin, and Dadu. In addition to Sindh, parts of Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) also saw rainfall. The PMD has forecast more rain, wind, and thunderstorms in southern and north-eastern Balochistan, central and upper Sindh, and parts of Punjab and KP over the coming days. Officials have advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel and remain alert as moist currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal continue to fuel the weather system. The PMD also warned of possible damage to weak structures such as electric poles, billboards, solar panels, and kacha houses due to strong winds and lightning. In Murree, Galliyat, Swat, Dir, Mansehra, Kohistan, and other hilly areas, there is a risk of landslides which may disrupt road access. Flash floods may also occur in local streams and nullahs in parts of KP, southern Punjab, and Balochistan including Barkhan, Kalat, Lasbella, and Khuzdar. In Karachi, residents faced tough conditions on Friday morning as waterlogged streets made it difficult for vehicles and pedestrians to move. Garbage mixed with rainwater formed pools of sludge, raising concerns about hygiene and disease. Political leaders responded with concern over the situation. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Monem Zafar addressed a press conference, highlighting what he termed the city's inadequate budget allocation in the recently announced Sindh budget. He noted that only Rs37.44 billion; around 1.1 percent of the Rs 3,451 billion budget was assigned to Karachi. He called for a development package of Rs500 billion for the city, proposing that each of Karachi's towns receive Rs2 billion and every union council Rs20 million. Comparing the current Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) budget of Rs55 billion with 2005's Rs43 billion, Monem pointed out the need for inflation-adjusted investments to meet the city's growing needs. JI leaders also raised concerns over funding for key federal projects in Karachi, such as the K-IV water scheme and the Karachi IT Park. Monem stated that their current allocations — Rs3.2 billion and Rs6 billion, respectively — fall far short of the required Rs40 billion and Rs42 billion. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader Maulana Azeemullah Usman, after visiting rain-hit areas in District Kemari, echoed similar concerns. He said that Sher Shah had been submerged within half an hour of rainfall, and stressed the need for immediate drainage and relief operations. He urged authorities to remain visible and responsive, especially in low-lying localities. By Friday evening, Karachi's temperature dropped to 29 degrees Celsius, with high humidity at 81 percent. Coastal areas remained under surge alerts due to high tides, further threatening vulnerable communities along the shore. As the weekend approaches, authorities continue to monitor the situation. Citizens are advised to follow official updates, avoid flooded areas, and take precautions to stay safe. Opposition leaders said that though rain offers relief from heat, its impact on cities like Karachi highlights the urgent need for long-term urban planning, upgraded drainage systems, and timely maintenance before each monsoon season. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Karachi weather alert: Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms expected today
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast heavy rainfall for Karachi today as the monsoon system continues to influence the region. According to the latest data, areas such as Gulshan-e-Hadeed recorded the highest rainfall yesterday at 17 millimetres, with other areas also receiving substantial rainfall. ◾ تازہ ترین تجزیے کے مطابق بھارتی گجرات ریجن اور اس سے ملحقہ شمالی بحیرہ عرب میں گردش کی شدت میں اضافہ ہوتی جا رہی ہے اور یہ تقریباً کم دباؤ کا نظام بن چکا ہے۔ اس کے زیر اثر سندھ کے کئی علاقوں بالخصوص زیریں / ساحلی علاقوں میں اگلے 2 سے 3 روز تک وقفے وقفے کے ساتھ بارش کا سلسلہ — Weather Updates PK (@WeatherWupk) June 27, 2025 Specifically, 12 millimetres of rain was recorded on Shahrah-e-Faisal, nine millimetres in Old City areas, 7.8 millimetres in Defence Phase II, five millimetres at the airport, and two millimetres on University Road. The PMD has indicated that the system over the region, which includes the Indian Gujarat area and the adjoining northern Arabian Sea, has strengthened and is now a low-pressure system. This system is expected to bring intermittent rainfall to several areas of Sindh, particularly in the lower and coastal regions, over the next two to three days. Despite yesterday's rainfall, the weather remains humid, with temperatures in the city ranging between 37 to 40 degrees Celsius. The forecast predicts moderate to heavy rainfall from the afternoon through to late tonight, with some areas potentially experiencing thunderstorms accompanied by heavy downpours. The monsoon spell is expected to continue across Karachi and Sindh until July 1, with more rain showers expected in the coming days.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Seven dead as monsoon rains batter Punjab
At least seven people died and 46 others were injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab, as heavy monsoon showers lashed several districts of the province over the last 24 hours, rescuers and disaster-management authorities said on Thursday. According to the Rescue 1122 – Punjab's emergency rescue service – 39 people were brought to various hospitals. Among them, it added, two people died each in Jhelum, and Muzaffargarh districts and one each in Okara, Bahawalnagar and Khanewal. Okara was worst affected, eight emergencies were reported, a spokesperson said. Four emergencies were reported in Multan, two each in Faisalabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Jhang and Chiniot and one each in Lahore, Kasur, Jhelum, Sahiwal, Murree, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalnagar and Khanewal. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had forecast an early onset of monsoon spell across the country from June 25-July 1. As expected, Punjab received a record rain showers during the last 24 hours, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) stated. Maximum rain was recorded in Faisalabad, where 98 millimetres (mm) was recorded in GMA Town; and 91mm in Madina Town. Kasur received 63mm of rain, while Lahore's Nishtar Town and Sheikhupura city each recorded 50mm. Lahore's airport registered 24mm while 15mm was recorded in other areas. In other cities of Punjab, Joharabad recorded 48mm; Sargodha, 45mm; Chakwal, 28mm; Chiniot, 22mm; Rawalpindi, 18mm; Narowal, 17mm; Attock, 12mm; and Gujrat and Mianwali, 10mm each. besides, 5mm of rain was recorded in Muzaffargarh, in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the PDMA spokesperson said. In Okara, Rescue Punjab Spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said, 5-year-old Dua Fatima died and 2 people were injured when a bamboo roof collapsed in Basti Riazabad. He said that that one person was injured when lightning struck 28/2R. In the district, five people were injured in roof-collapse incidents on Hujra Shah Muqim, Samadpura, Basti Sheikh, Adda Gambar and 21/DG. Similar roof-collapse incidents were also reported from Multan Faisalabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Shorkot, Lahore, Kasur, Sahiwal, Chiniot, Muzaffargarh, injuring 23. Two people died after a loader rickshaw overturned and fell into a storm drain in Jhelum. three people died in a wall-collapse incident in Muzaffargarh and Bahawalnagar. One person died after a roof collapsed in Bahawalnagar; one person died and another injured after a lightning strike in Khanewal. Two children were injured after being electrocuted from and an electric pole in Mandi Bahauddin. Five people were injured after a high-roof van collided with oil tanker collided in Murree, according to the data provided by the rescue officials. The highways police spokesperson said that rain lashed the motorways and the national highways in the Central Region, including Lahore-Kot; Lahore-Khanewal; Lahore-Sialkot motorway sections. The National Highway in Manga Mandi, Pattoki and Okara also received heavy rain. Meanwhile, the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued impact-based alerts due to expected widespread monsoon rainfall and associated flooding risks across several regions of the country. The NDMA warned that heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms are likely in multiple Punjab districts including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Rajanpur, and Islamabad during June 26-28 period.
