KARACHI: Eidul Azha was celebrated on Friday in most countries of the world, but the three-day festival begins in the sub-continent on Saturday.

The countries which celebrated Eid on Friday include Afghanistan, China, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Maldives, Malaysia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. and other Gulf countries, Singapore, Turkey and Occupied Kashmir and Palestine.

Muslims in Somalia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Russia, Chechnya, Ukraine, France, UK, Surinam and the United States also celebrated the festival.

In Pakistan, strict security measures have been taken, and 42 districts across the country have been declared sensitive. They include 11 districts of the NWFP, 16 of Punjab, eight of Sindh and seven of Balochistan.

NWFP districts declared sensitive are: Peshawar, Charsadda, Bannu, Mardan, Nowshehra, Abbottabad, Risalpur, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Hungu and Kamra Cantt.

In Sindh, Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Naushahro Feroze, Ghotki, Mirpurkhas, Tando Adam and Jacobabad; In Balochistan, Quetta, Dera Murad Jamali, Nasirabad, Sui, Kohlu, Kharan and Dera Bugti and in Punjab, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Sheikhupura, Multan, Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur, Khanewal, Gujrat, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur have been declared sensitive.

Instructions have been issued to hold Eid congregations in places with boundary walls. Holidays of police personnel have been cancelled.

In Karachi, 12,000 police personnel have been deployed while cameras have been mounted at major places for Eid prayers.