Ten year calendar to avoid hefty expenses, conflicts: Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Monday again said that the ten year calendar will assit to avoid hefty expenses incurred by national exchequer as well as the conflicts. In his latest criticism of the Ruet-e-Hilal committee, the minister said up to Rs4 million are spent on the moon-sighting procedure every year. He asked the wisdom in spending large sums of money on moon sighting every year, saying that the Ruet-e-Hilal committee should carry out the sighting voluntarily. “Where is the wisdom in spending Rs4 million on moon-sighting for Ramzan and Eid? At least the [Ruet-e-Hilal] committee should do it voluntarily. All around the world [the sighting] is done without remuneration,” Fawad Chaudhry said. “I respect the ulema. I have given an opinion. Everyone does not need to agree,” he added. He also said the national exchequer was incurring hefty expenses on the moon sighting, and that it was time to utilise science and technology for the practice. “Educated scholars are supporting my suggestion,” Chaudhry said, referring to his proposal to form a committee of tech experts to determine moon sighting for key dates and months in the Islamic calendar for the next 10 years. Earlier, Ruet-e-Hilal committee Chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman had criticised Fawad Chaudhry’s suggestion and appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to stop his ministers from commenting on religious matters. He also said the committee will consist of members from SUPARCO, Meteorological Department and Science and Technology.