KARACHI, August 31 (DNA): Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Saturday announced the commencement of Hijri year of 1441 with the sighting of moon of Muharram-ul-Haram and that Ashura will be commemorated on September 10 in Pakistan.

The committee chief Mufti Muhammad Muneeb-ur-Rehman announced that Muharram, the first month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar will start from September 1 (Sunday) and the day of Ashura will begin on the eve of September 9 (Monday) and end on September 10 (Tuesday).

The meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee was presided over by its chairman Mufti Munibur Rehman at the Meteorological Complex in Karachi to sight the moon of Muharram, the first month of Islamic calendar.

Zonal Committees also held their meetings in various major cities of the country to collect evidences of moon sighting. They sent the collective evidences to the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee which made the absolute decision.

In a notice issued earlier, the government has announced two public holidays on 9th and 10th Muharram, falling on 9 and 10 September, (Monday and Tuesday).

Ashura is marked by Muslims to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (R.A) and his companions on 10th of Muharram.

Every year, the federal and provincial governments announce two public holidays on 9th and 10th Muharram.

On these days, processions are taken out in all the major cities of the country with government deploying police and paramilitaries to ensure the security of mourners. DNA