Pakistan to observe first of Muharram on Friday, Ashura on July 6
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's central moon sighting committee announced on Thursday it had sighted the crescent for the Islamic month of Muharram, which will be observed in the country from June 27.
The sighting of the Muharram crescent marks the start of the new Islamic year 1447, a reference to the number of years passed since Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated from Makkah to Madinah. Shia Muslims across Pakistan hold gatherings and organize processions during the month to pay homage to Imam Hussain, the prophet's grandson, who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala centuries ago on Muharram 10 or Day of Ashura.
Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, the chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, told reporters in Quetta that the committee had received testimonies of the Muharram crescent's sighting from several parts of the country.
'Hence it has been decided with consensus that, god willing, the first of Muharram, 1447 Hijri, will fall on June 27, 2025, on the blessed day of Friday,' Azad said. 'And the day of Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, 1447 Hijri, will fall on July 6, 2025, on Sunday.'
Militant groups have often targeted Muharram processions and imambargahs in Pakistan, killing hundreds of people in the past. The government takes stringent security measures during Muharram every year, especially on Ashura, to ensure protection for thousands of Shia pilgrims across the city.
These measures include strict security checking, increased deployment of law enforcement personnel and suspension of cellular services. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has tasked the provincial government to crack down against elements spreading sectarian hatred on social media platforms.
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