Islamabad, June 26, 2025 – The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has confirmed the sighting of the Muharram moon, marking the start of the Islamic year 1447H on Friday, June 27. Ashura, observed on the 10th of Muharram, will fall on Sunday, July 6, holding deep spiritual and historical significance for Muslims as a time to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his family at the Battle of Karbala.
The committee, chaired by Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, convened in Islamabad, with zonal and district committees meeting simultaneously across Pakistan. Multiple moon-sighting testimonies were received, confirming the start of Muharram, one of the four sacred Islamic months. The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) had predicted the moon’s visibility on June 26, with the new moon born on June 25 at 3:32 PM.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired a high-level meeting to review Muharram security arrangements, covering all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Islamabad. The meeting emphasized coordinated efforts to maintain peace, with strict action promised against those spreading hatred on social media. Decisions on suspending mobile or internet services during Muharram will be made in consultation with provincial authorities. Naqvi stressed the use of modern technology to monitor processions and majalis, ensuring no one takes the law into their own hands.
In a separate Ulema-Mashaykh Peace Conference organized by the Council of Islamic Ideology, religious scholars issued a joint declaration urging citizens to uphold constitutional loyalty and condemning violence, sectarianism, and extremism. The declaration emphasized the state’s authority to act against hate speech and reaffirmed the right to peaceful assembly and worship, while prohibiting coercive imposition of beliefs.
Muharram processions and majalis are expected to take place nationwide under heightened security, with thousands of law enforcement personnel deployed to ensure safety.
