KARACHI, Dec 19: Like elsewhere in the country, Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated in Karachi on Monday with great zeal and fervour.

Hundreds and thousands of faithfuls, accompanied by their children, thronged mosques and Eidgahs to offer Eid prayers. Special prayers for the liberation of all occupied Muslim territories, including held Jammu and Kashmir, Palestine, Bosnia and Chechnya were offered. Prayers were also offered solidarity, integrity and sovereignty of the country.

Ulema and scholars from different schools of thought delivered special sermons and highlighted the significance of the Eid. The scholars stressed the need for Ummah’s unity and for ending differences and uniting against the evil forces, which are bent upon creating hatred among various sects of Islamic society to achieve their nefarious ends.

After the Eid prayers, the faithfuls visited graveyards to offer fateha for the departed souls of their near and dear ones.

The biggest Eid congregation was held at Bagh-i-Jinnah, where Acting Sindh Governor, Justice Syed Saeed and City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, offered Eid prayer. The event was largely attended by members of the provincial cabinet, diplomats from Islamic countries, elite and senior civil and military officials.

Later, the governor exchanged Eid greetings with foreign diplomats, senior civil and military officials, delegations of various organisations and general public at Governor House and extended his profound Eid greetings to them.

All centres of PTV and PBC presented a series of special programes to celebrate the festival in a befitting manner, while newspapers brought out special supplements to highlight the distinctive features of the festival.

The provincial government had taken extraordinary security measures and strengthened its intelligence network to ensure peaceful Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at major mosques and Eidgahs in the city.

On the occasion various social, political, religious organisations and philanthropists distributed gifts, Eidee among the poor people and also visited hospitals and central jail to distribute sweets among the patients and prisoners.

Later in the evening, a large number of people thronged the Clifton Recreation Resort where women and children enjoyed rides and children took part in various games. In various mohallahs in Karachi camel-owners entertained the children with camel rides.—PPI