Eidul Fitr celebrated in KP with religious fervour

PESHAWAR: Eidul Fitr was celebrated with religious fervour and enthusiasm on Saturday in Peshawar and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Several Eid congregations were held in the provincial capital and the rest of the province to celebrate the Muslim festival, which also marks the end of the holy month of Ramazan. The faithful thronged Eidgahs, mosques and open places to offer prayers.

The biggest congregation was offered at historic Eidgah in Faqirabad on the Charsadda Road. Chief Khateeb Maulana Muhammad Tayyab Qureshi led the prayers. The place of worship saw a great rush of people as this time the festival was celebrated unanimously on the same day. Unlike the previous year, this time around the festival was celebrated on the same day across the country when the official Ruet-e-Hilal Committee as well as the unofficial Ruet-e-Hilal Committee headed by Mufti Shahabuddin Poplazai in Peshawar announced that they had not received testimonies about the moon-sighting therefore Eid-ul-Fitr would be celebrated on Saturday.

The Afghan refugees living in provincial metropolis and other parts of KP marked the occasion a day earlier as the people of Afghanistan, as per tradition, follow Saudi Arabia in starting fasting and celebrating the Eid festivals.

Special prayers were offered for stability, solidarity and prosperity of the country and wellbeing of people in Eidgahs and mosques. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Ghulam Ali and Caretaker Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan offered the Eid prayer at the Governor’s House in Peshawar.

Some members of the caretaker cabinet, including Minister for Excise and Narcotics Control Manzoor Khan Afridi, Minister for Industries, Commerce and Technical Education Adnan Jalil, Minister for Housing Shafiullah Khan, Minister for Irrigation Fazal Elahi and Minister for Prisons Hidayatullah Khan Afridi, Mayor Peshawar Zubair Ali, and others also offered the Eid prayers at the Governor’s House.

The governor and the chief minister also exchanged Eid greetings with the worshippers. The gates of the Governor’s House were opened to the families and children. The governor welcomed the people and exchanged Eid greetings with them.

Arrangements had been made to entertain children. They enjoyed swings and were provided fun areas as well on the lawn Caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan exchanged Eid greetings with destitute children housed at the special care centre run by the government. He gave sweets and gifts to the children. A lot of rush of people was seen at the recreation places in Peshawar. Most families preferred Chacha Younas Family Park as it is located in the heart of the city at Hashtnagri.

Youngsters turned to Shahi Bagh which offered good facilities after recent renovation. People also visited Bagh-e-Naran and others parks in Hayatabad to spend a few pleasant moments. A small fair was arranged outside the Gor Kathri Arachaeological Complex where children enjoyed kiddie wheel drives and horse rising. Most children carried toy guns.