RAWALPINDI: Torrential rain the day before Eid made the weather pleasant during the three days of Eid.

Residents of Rawalpindi celebrated Eid with religious zeal and amid tight security. Large congregations were held in various parts of the city and cantonment areas and special prayers were also offered for the development and prosperity of the country and for the people of Kashmir, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

After offering Eid prayers, people gave out alms and food and visited the graves of their loved ones, where they lay wreaths of flowers and offered prayers. People then visited friends and families to wish them a happy Eid.

Candidates of various parties visited people in their respective areas and wished them happy holidays as well including PML-N’s Malik Abrar Ahmed, Malik Iftikhar Ahmed, Malik Shakil Awan, Haji Pervez, Qammarul Islam, Raja Javed Ikhlas, Chaudhry Sarfaraz Afzal, Daniyal Chaudhry, Hanif Abbasi, Sardar Mumtaz Khan, Zia Ullah Shah, Sardar Nasim, Raja Hanif, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Amir Kiyani, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Babu Sheryar Riaz, Raja Rashid Hafiz, Ijaz Khan Jazi, PPP’s Sumaira Gul and independent candidates Raja Basharat, Raja Nasir and Hamid Nawaz Raja among others.

Awami Muslim League President Sheikh Rashid Ahmed established a camp outside Lal Haveli where he remained almost the entire day of Eid.

All shops and business establishments, banks and government offices remained closed as did the ATM machines of almost all banks, causing immense trouble for account holders.

The police made extensive security arrangements at Eid Gahs and deployed extra force in uniform and plain clothes. The City Traffic Police managed traffic during prayers to avoid traffic mess.

A large number of families could be seen in Zia Park, Ayub Park and the Play Land on the third day of Eid, Monday, as well.

Children could be seen playing on swings and families were buying street food including channa chat, gol gappay, burgers and finger chips, pakoras, samosas and a variety of sweets.

Many people also headed towards Murree to spend the Eid holidays, where tourists experienced traffic congestion, even though a traffic plan was made. The entry of heavy traffic and motorcycles was banned in the hill station to avoid a traffic mess.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2018