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Two Ramadan dates announced in India, Pakistan

Dubai - It is the first day of the holy month in some parts of India and Pakistan today.

While a Pakistani cleric declared Monday as the first day of Ramadan - going against the official moon-sighting committee's decision - India too had it's share of crescent confusion.
Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, a controversial self-imposed cleric from Peshawar's historic Masjid Qasim Ali Khan, declared Monday to be the first day of the holy month of Ramadan even when there were no reports of the crescent being sighted on Sunday.
According to Geo.tv, Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman, Mufti Munibur Rehman, said at a press conference the Ramadan crescent was not sighted and that the first day of Ramdan will be on Tuesday, May 7. However, Popalzai made the declaration claiming his decision was based on 22 evidences gathered by the mosque.

Similarly in India's Kerala, Ramadan began on Monday while the rest of India will observe the beginning of the holy month from May 7, reported TOI. Also in Bangladesh and other countries in Asia and Africa, the crescent will be seen on May 6 and Tuesday will be marked as the first day of Ramadan.
Except for Oman, the rest of the Gulf countries announced the beginning of Ramadan on May 6 after the moon was sighted in Saudi Arabia and UAE on Sunday.