MINGORA, Oct 27: The government’s dual policy caused confusion here, as the people could not decide whether to observe fast or not. In the past the people in Swat use to follow  the announcement  of Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee both  for observing fast and celebrating Eid, but this year the provincial government put them in an awkward and difficult situation.

Though, on television the Committee announced its decision, but at midnight the police jawans forced the Maulvis and Moazzins to awake the sleeping people for observing the fast. The people also opened heavy aerial firing, and both the announcement and the siren were heard repeatedly.

But, despite this action by the police, majority of the people avoided observing fast. The hotels and cafes remained open and the people openly criticized the provincial government of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

“If the provincial government had decided to observe fast its people were morally bound to boycott the committee” told Syed Afzal Shah, chairman Malakand division Union Journalists in his comments. He said that the entire responsibility rested with the provincial government. The people believed in the MMA, but it too failed to bring the people on a single platform, he added.

Zakir Hussein, a die-hard Muslim, said the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee was an established and recognized body and the people have been asked to abide by its decision. He asked the Ulema to maintain unity among their ranks.

Another person said that for the first time Swati people were also divided into groups. He also said that the provincial government adopted dual policy in this regard.

Our Mansehra correspondent adds: The faithful were embarrassed when they heard the hooters of tehsil municipal administration and shots fired by the police to awake the people for Sehri in the wee hours on Monday.

When this correspondent contacted the police emergency, the official on duty said that all was being done on the order of the provincial information minister.

However, district khateeb Qazi Khalil Ahmad, khateeb of Markazi Jamia Masjid Maulana Mufti Viqarul Haq Osmani and JUI-F general-secretary of Mansehra district Qari Mohammad Afzal said they were bound by the decision of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee.

HARIPUR: The first of Ramazan was partially observed amid confusion in Haripur on Monday.