ISLAMABAD, June 7 (APP): Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Tuesday informed the Senate that the Ministry of Religious Affairs had prepared draft legislation to observe Ramzan and Eid on the same day.
However, the minister said in this regard they were waiting for passing of a resolution from at least one provincial assembly to authorize the federation.
Responding to a point of order, the Minister said when the draft legislation was sent to Law Ministry it replied that after devolution of powers the ministry of religious affairs was now a provincial subject and for this purpose passing of a resolution from at least one or two provincial assemblies to authorize the centre to do legislation in this regard was a pre-requisite. He said the federal government was now waiting for such a resolution so that proper legislation could be carried out.
He said it was a good omen that moon was sighted in the entire country on the same day. He said the PML-N government in 2013 also did efforts to reduce communication gap between the central Rueat-e-Hilal and zonal committees and hoped efforts to observe Ramzan and Eid on the same day in future would bear fruits.
He said sighting of moon and announcement was religious responsibility of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee as it collected evidences of those people who fulfill the criteria.
He said “We contacted regional Roet e Hilal committee and Mufti Shahabuddin Populzai of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan Peshawar and his concern was that the regional committee does not wait for their evidences.”
He said concerns of Populzai were removed and Ramazan was observed on the same day, adding that the provincial minister also played a good role in this regard.
Sardar Yousuf said Masji Qasim Ali had a committee for moon sighting for the last 250 years and it collected evidences from the local people.
Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani requested Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Senators Saeed Ghani, Shibli Faraz and Usman Khan Kakar to talk to their Chief Ministers to empower the federal government under Article- 141 of Constitution to do legislation in this regard.
Leader of the House, Raja Zafar ul Haq said it was a religious issue but in the present circumstances it also needed to be reviewed. He said the entire process should be regularized and proper legislation should be made with consensus.
Azam Khan Swati of PTI suggested that Roet e Hilal committee should be abolished as according to him it was a scientific era and there was no need of such a committee.
