Unlike the rest of Pakistan, Eidul Fitr is being celebrated with religious zeal and fervour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern districts of Balochistan today instead of tomorrow (Tuesday).
Eid prayers were held at open places, in mosques and Eidgahs in KP and certain districts of Balochistan.
On the occasion, special prayers were offered for the well-being of the country, while in sermons, scholars highlighted the significance of this Eid. The Ulema also condemned the incident of hooliganism at Masjid-e-Nabawi in their Eid sermons.
In KP, the main gathering of Eidul Fitr was held at Eidgah mosque alongside Charsadda Road. Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and the provincial ministers offered their Eid prayers at Governor House.
The Hazara Division will observe Eid tomorrow.
In Balochistan, Eid is being celebrated in Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Zhob and other areas.
KP to observe Eid on Monday
A day earlier, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan’s Special Assistant Barrister Dr Muhammad Ali Saif had announced that the province will celebrate Eid on Monday.
Taking to his Twitter, Saif said that the government had received 130 sightings from different areas of KP of the Shawwal moon.
“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to officially celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday, May 2. Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated with religious fervour across the province tomorrow,” said the special assistant.
Moreover, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee's zonal body in Peshawar, urged the central body to review it's decision.
Madni said that the zonal body had "examined the sightings" and considered them after through review.
On the other hand, following the decision of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the rest of the country will celebrate Eid on Tuesday, May 3.
Religious Affairs Minister Abdul Shakoor said that the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee was an independent body and that the federal government cannot "dictate" it.
“We can only request the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to not ignore the sightings," Shakoor told journalists. He added that zonal committee had received the reports of moon sighting after the central body's meeting had ended.
