PESHAWAR, Nov 2: Ulema in Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Hangu, Bannu and a few other places in the NWFP and tribal areas, announced the sighting of the Shawwal moon and declared that Eidul Fitr would be celebrated on Thursday.

Sirens were set off and announcements were made from mosques in the provincial capital after 11pm when a local committee of Ulema announced having received 17 evidences of moon-sighting from different parts of Peshawar and Landi Kotal and Bara in the adjoining tribal region of Khyber Agency.

Later, Ulema in Swabi and Nowshera also announced that Eid would be celebrated on Thursday. The district nazim of Mardan, Mr Himayatullah Mayar, made a similar announcement after a local committee of Ulema said 16 evidences of moon-sighting had been received.

However, Charsadda district, which usually takes the lead in making such announcements, decided not to celebrate Eid on Thursday. But Ulema in the Shabqadar tehsil of the district said the Shawwal moon had been sighted.

Eid will also be observed in Dir and South and North Waziristan tribal regions.

Swat, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat and Hazara divisions usually follow the decision of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee.