KOHAT, Sept 10: The traditional festivity seen on the occasion of Eidul Fitr was marred by confusion and a row between the district Khateeb (prayer leader) and the commissioner over observing of Eid on Friday.

Around 12am the Kohat division Commissioner asked Khateeb Mufti Shafiullah to make announcement about the decision of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of observing Eidul Fitr on Friday.

The latter refused to ask the local Ulema to implement the decision.

However the Khateeb’s deputy, Mufti Tariq Mahmood succumbed to the government pressure and declared Eidul Fitr on Sept 10 in the light of the announcement made by the caretaker of Qasim Ali Khan mosque, Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai and the provincial senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour.

The people were shocked when announcements were made through loudspeakers of mosques at 2.30am that local Ulema had decided to observe Eidul Fitr on Friday. The clerics also announced offering of Eid prayers at Eidgah.

The order was issued by the Khateeb of Kohat who later agreed to observe Eid on Friday.

The people living in the city and the cantonment did not observe Eid due to confusion and observed fast on Friday.

Some of the Ulema also observed fast although they had asked the people to celebrate Eid.

But people of all the small villages and towns on the outskirts and remote areas observed Eidul Fitr.

The Ulema who differ with the government on the issue of observing Eid selected Moti Masjid in the cantonment area for offering prayers at 8am while the biggest congregation would be held at the mosque of Hazrat Haji Bahadur in the city at 8.30am on Saturday.