Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry was critical of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government's decision to celebrate Eid on June 4 (Tuesday), terming it inappropriate and embarrassment. Chaudhry said that the KPK government's decision to celebrate Eid on June 4, 2019 was inappropriate and it had led to a mockery. He said it was impossible to sight the Shawwal moon on June 3, adding, "You can't celebrate a religious festival on the basis of a lie".
The minister said a perception was given to the world as if a "lie has government's patronage" in Pakistan. "Governments do not get into local fights or those between sects," he said. "A person may celebrate Eid wherever he wants, but not on the basis of a lie," Chaudhary stressed". The KPK government on other day made the announcement to celebrate Eid on June 4 after taking into account testimonies of moon sighting from all over the province, according to provincial Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai.
In response to Fawad Chaudhary's statement, KPK Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai also said that the announcement of Eid-ul-Fitr in the province was made after consulting with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Responding to concerns regarding the celebration of Eid after 28 Ramzan, the minister said that the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee committed a mistake while sighting the Ramazan moon whereas KP tried to overcome the gap and celebrated the Eid on the right day.
Eidul Fitr was celebrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Tuesday at official level as prayers have been offered in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Hangu, Bannu and merged districts of tribal areas.
The minister said that the government received a number of testimonies for Shawwal moon sighting from the erstwhile Federal Administrative Tribal Areas FATA.
The self-proclaimed Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan had announced to celebrate Eid today in light of the moon sightings testimonies from several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Shahab-ud-din Popalzai, the chief cleric, claimed to make the decision in light of 25 witnesses received from 'all over the provinces'.
Chaudhry further said that ignorance has had no cure, adding, "Printing press, rail journeys remained 'haram' for 200 years, while it took several years to declare the use of loudspeaker 'halal'; the issue of moon sighting will be resolved too".
Stressing soul-searching, he said the people needed to see where the countries, which got liberated with Pakistan, stood today.
"Societies move ahead under the leadership of a contemporary mindset. It is hoped that conscious class of the nation would not stay quiet on every issue," the minister said further. Urging that backward thinking should be rejected, he said the final victory in Pakistan too would be of knowledge and wisdom.
Earlier this week, Chaudhry said there should be no doubt that Eid-ul-Fitr will be on June 5. The federal minister has launched the country's first moon-sighting website and Hijri calendar and announced the date of Eid-ul-Fitr based on the lunar observations.
KPK Information Minister has also locked horns with the chairman central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneebur Rehman, saying that Mufti has always done what he wanted to do. Shaukat Yousafzai said "Muneebur Rehman has become an authentic source on moon sighting matter and he doesn't believe in either the met department or science and technology."
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