PESHAWAR: Eidul Fitr was celebrated in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas with religious fervor on Sunday in line with the announcement of the Masjid Qasim Ai Khan, Peshawar.

On Saturday night, cleric Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai’s mosque had accepted the testimony of several witnesses, who claimed to have sighted the Shawal crescent, before announcing the celebration of Eid next day.

In Peshawar, the police remained on high alert and made tight security arrangements around mosques.

The people were made to undergo body searches in some areas.

Most Afghan nationals and tribal people offered Eid prayers at Zarghoni Masjid and parks in Hayatabad.

The city’s roads, including major ones, had thin traffic, while bazaars remained closed by and large.

Though district government didn’t announce Eid, district nazim Asim Khan offered Eid prayer at his village.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister offered Eid prayer at a mosque in Manki Sharif area of Nowshera and exchanged greetings with relatives, voters and political activists.

Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, provincial chairman and senior minister Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao offered Eid prayer at their native village, Sherpao, Charsadda district, while Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan offered Eid prayer at Masjid Gul Baba Prang, Charsadda.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zaffar Jhagra will offer Eid prayer today (Monday) at the Governor House in Peshawar.

The people, who have not celebrated Eid on Sunday, will offer Eid prayer at Charsadda Road Eidgah and Sunehri Masjid in Peshawar cantonment.

In Kohat, Eid was celebrated in few villages, including Muslimabad, Jarma, Chechanna, Sheikhan and Kharmato and eight Afghan refugee camps. The internally displaced persons from Fata also celebrated the post-Ramazan festival.

Most residents of Kohat city and cantonment areas observed fast in the day and will mark Eid on Monday in line with the announcement of the central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee.

Main Eid congregation will be held at the main Eidgah.

In Bajaur Agency, too, the people celebrated Eid in the day with religious zeal.

Eid prayer was offered in mosques and open places, where people prayed for peace, stability and prosperity of the country.

Tight security checks were in place across the agency, while hundreds of the personnel of Bajaur Levies force and peace committee volunteers were deployed at the main entrances to mosques and Eidgahs.

No untoward incident was reported in the region.

The local residents complained about the frequent incidents of celebratory firing on chand raat, the night before Eid.

They said the ban on firing in the air was flouted but the security forces didn’t act against its violators.

Meanwhile, the local administration freed 25 people, detained for minor crimes, to facilitate them to celebrate Eid with family members.

The release was ordered by assistant political agent Anwarul Haq during a visit to the local prison.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017