Pakistan celebrates modest Eid amid gloom over Bahawalpur tragedy, terrorist attacks

KARACHI: Eid prayers were held amid tight security arrangements across the country Monday morning to mark the beginning of the three-day festival amid calls for modest celebrations by army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the governments of Balochistan and Punjab. 

The otherwise festive atmosphere has been marred by gloom after the deadly oil tanker fire in Bahawalpur and the earlier terrorist attacks in Parachinar and Quetta. 

President Mamnoon Hussain offered Eid prayers at Islamabad's Faisal Mosque, where the premier's foreign affairs adviser, Sartaj Aziz, and former interior minister Rehman Malik were also present. A Eid-related ceremony at the Presidency was cancelled owing to the Bahawalpur fire tragedy.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari offered Eid prayers at Garhi Khuda Bux along with party workers. He then offered a Fateha at the grave of his mother, grandfather and other relatives.

In Karachi, the main Eid congregation was held at 8AM at the Gulshan-e-Jinnah (Old Polo Ground) where Governor Sindh Mohammad Zubair and diplomats from some Muslim countries offered Eid prayers.

The governor exchanged Eid greetings with senior military and civil officers at the Governor House.

Namaz-e-Eid was offered at 4,000 mosques, Eidgahs, Imambarghas, parks, and open places in the port city.

Sindh Inspector General of Police AD Khawaja had directed the Karachi police to make foolproof security arrangements on the occasion. More than 9,000 police personnel were deployed for security duty in the metropolis.

K-Electric spokesperson Sadia Dada said on Sunday that there would be no load-shedding in residential areas during the three days of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Eid is also being celebrated in Indian Occupied Kashmir, India, Bangladesh and several other countries. 

Moon sighting

Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, chairman of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, announced Sunday evening the sighting of the moon for the month of Shawwal and said Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Monday, June 26.

The announcement was made by the senior cleric after he chaired a meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

"From various cities and towns across the country we have confirmation of the Shawwal moon being sighted," Rehman said. 

Muslims throughout the world celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on the first day of Shawwal. As per the Met Office, the moon started appearing in the sky at 7:29AM on Saturday.

Scientifically, the moon was sighted for the longest duration in Pakistan in Jiwani area of Balochistan on June 25.

The moon was seen in the sky for approximately 75 minutes.