Ulemas' gathering for moon sighting waste of money: Fawad Ch
Will reveal plans of science ministry in this regard in the next few days: Fawad.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Monday said it looks fair if religious seminaries gather at a point to have some supper but unfair if whole Pakistan gathers at some point just to see moon by a telescope.
Talking to Dunya News program Nukta-e-Nazar, the minister said gathering of religious scholars just for the purpose of sighting moon burdens national exchequer and anonymous to waste of public money. He said rather this should be done voluntarily.
The minister added that why religious scholars are using 100 years old telescope for the purpose of moon sighting. The minister said whole matter revolves around setting and rising of sun and it is a scientific process.
He said the religious scholars think that using a century old telescope is perfectly right while the use of new technology is wrong in their eyes.
“I will put my suggestions before cabinet and it is up to them to approve it,” he said.
Responding to a question, Fawad Ch said he will reveal plans of science ministry in this regard in next few days.
Earlier on Monday Ch said that it is not wise to spend 3.6 to 4 million rupees to sight Ramzan and Eid moon.
Fawad Chaudhry maintained that the religious scholars are respectable but they should not charge money to sight moon as this work is done voluntarily around the world.
The federal minister said he has just expressed his views regarding the formation of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, and it is not necessary for others to agree with him.
He proposed that science and technology should be used to sight moon, and claimed that unnecessary expenditures and controversies will be averted once a ten-year moon calendar is created.
The educated religious scholars are also supporting my proposal, Fawad Chaudhry concluded.
