Islamabad
As a religious ritual, the people thronged graveyards in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on the occasion of ‘Shab-e-Baraat’ on Sunday to pray for departed family members and friends.
Among the cemeteries, which attracted large crowds, were those of H-8, H-11 and Golra in Islamabad and of New Katarian, Dhoke Ratta, Asghar Mall and Bakramandi in Rawalpindi.
Visitors, mostly men and children, swept and moistened graves, sprinkled rose petals and scented water over them, lit incense sticks atop, and pulled weeds out of the surroundings. Repairs to broken graves were also done.
The visitors later offered ‘fateha’ and recited verses from the Holy Quran to seek salvation of the dead from the Allah Almighty. Sellers of flowers, especially roses and rose petals, reported high sales. Philanthropists served food and sherbet to visitors outside graveyards.