The Pakistani science ministry and a newly-appointed chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, have agreed for the first time to work together and end the decades long ‘moon sighting’ controversy. Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the new chief of the moon sighting committee, said his committee would collaborate with the ministries of religion and science to gather scientific evidence to take a final decision.
The religious affairs ministry has decided to enact a new legislation regarding the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and frame a law regarding the Hajj and Umra in order to provide legal cover to the matters related to the pilgrimage. The proposed legislation suggested that no one would be allowed to announce the moon sighting on their own and violators will be fined and punished.