Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has said that while the new moon for Ramzan will occur on Feb. 28, it is unlikely to be visible until March 1, with the holy month formally commencing from March 2 (Sunday).
In a statement, the country’s space agency said that the new moon will occur on Feb. 28 at 5:45 P.M., when it will be 12 hours old. At that date and time, it said, the moon’s altitude will be a low 5 degrees, making it difficult to observe it with the human eye. Similarly, it has said, the angular distance between the moon and the sun will be 7 degrees, preventing its observance even with optical instruments.
As such, SUPARCO has forecast, Ramzan will likely start in Pakistan from March 2, 2025. It has said the crescent may be seen in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 28, allowing Ramzan to start in the Gulf kingdom from March 1, with Pakistan following a day later.
Looking forward, SUPARCO has predicted that the Shawwal moon will likely be sighted on March 30, with Eidul Fitr occurring on March 31. However, it has added, the final decision on the sighting of the moon lies with Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, which will examine testimonies from across the country and formally make a determination on the start of Ramzan.
Earlier this month, the Pakistan Meteorological Department had similarly predicted that atmospheric conditions made it unlikely that the new moon will be observed in Pakistan before March 1.