SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir's Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam Tuesday said that Shab-e-Qadr will be observed on April 17 while as Eid moon will be sighted on April 20 and in case moon is sighted on April 20, people will have to offer 'Qaza' fast of one day.

Talking to reporters after a marathon meeting of Ulema that include Moulana Rahmatullah Qasmi, Ghulam Rasool Hami and Prof Muhammad Tayib Kamili, Moulana Aga Syed Al Hassan Mousivi, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, Moulana Fayaz Ahmed Rizivi, Masroor Abbas Ansari and others, the Grand Mufti said: "Shab-e-Qadr will be observed on April 17. Moon sighting will be done on April 20 and if moon is sighted, people will have to offer one day Qaza fasting after Eid."

He said any decision regarding Eid will be made public after thorough consultation with Ulema. "The MeT department will also be consulted before any announcement," he said.

Pertinently, earlier, there was a controversy over fasting as Grand Mufti had stated that the people should fast from Friday while the majority of the people in Kashmir had started fasting from Thursday. Grand Mufti had stated he had received no witness about sighting of Ramadhan crescent on Wednesday night.