ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Contrary to the perception that the capital wears deserted look during Eid days, a large number of citizens will celebrate Eidul Azha here, Dawn has learnt.
Sheikh Amin, a retired officer of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), living in sector E-11, said in seventies and eighties most of the residents of the capital would go to their native city to celebrate Eid along with their families.
“Now things have changed, I cannot go to my native city as my parents have died. On the other hand, my children, who have been living in Islamabad for decades and have married in families residing in Islamabad, are not ready to leave the city on the occasion of Eid,” he said.
“My children, who have been doing jobs in capital, consider that Islamabad is their native city as their friends also live here. My children have purchased sacrificial animal and we will celebrate Eid here,” he said.
Mehboobullah, a resident of Sector I-10 and has been working as a lecturer in a college, said that he belonged to Swat but had been living in Islamabad for last 30 years.
“My all four children were born in Islamabad and if we go to native city to celebrate Eid, they will get bored there. My wife also says that we should celebrate Eid here so I have no choice but to stay here,” he said.
Tasneem Qureshi, a resident of sector G-6, who was the driver of late president Mohammad Ayub Khan, said that in late 60s and 70s there were only two sectors i.e. Sector G-6 and G-7 in federal capital.
“On the occasion of Eid, both the sectors would wear the look of ghost town as all their residents would go to their native cities.
The new generation feel that they are misfit in the cities of their parents and want to stay in Islamabad,” he said.
Nazir Ahmed, a retired headmaster of a school said that he belonged to Gojra but would celebrate Eid in the capital because his sons were not willing to go to their native city.
“With the passage of time city has developed its own culture. People like to meet with the people of their own class. Every one wants to enjoy his own life and does not care about the problems of others,” he said.
“It will be nice that people will stay in the city on the occasion of Eid because if they will stay in the city not only all the activities of the city will continue but it will also decrease the crime rate,” he said.
An official of Islamabad Traffic Police said that now on Eid, people stayed in the city so ITP had deputed officers at all public places to control traffic especially at Lakeview Park an and Daman-e-Koh the picnic spots where people visited on these occasions.