Afghans living in KP celebrate Eidul Azha on Sunday

PESHAWAR: The Afghans living in the provincial capital and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa celebrated Eidul Azha on Sunday as the major Muslim festivity is being observed across the country today (Monday).

The main congregations of Eid prayers were held at Tajabad locality near Hayatabad, Tirah House in phase 2, Hayatabad, Khan Baba area in Achini, Kacha Garhi, Phandu Road, Kohat Road and other places in the province. The Afghan nationals living in different parts of the provincial capital gathered there to offer the prayer.

The worshippers after the prayers left for their respective areas to sacrifice animals, which is the main activity after the Eid prayers.

At the Eid sermon special prayers were offered for Palestinian Muslims, who have been experiencing brutalities for the last nearly 10 months.

“It is Eid. I am happy. I wish a very happy Eid to Muslims across the globe with special prayers for the people of Palestine, who have been suffering atrocities at the hands of the Zionist regime,” said Qari Mohammad Ayaz after the Eid prayers.

The Afghans always celebrate Eids with the Kabul government, which observe the festivity with Saudi Arabia. In Pakistan, normally the festivities are observed a day after Saudi Arabia. This year the faithful in Pakistan had joined the rest of the Muslim world for celebrating Eidul Fiter on the same day. However, the tradition could not be maintained on the occasion of Eidul Azha as the Zul Hajj Moon had been sighted in Pakistan a day later than the Saudi Arabia where too the Eid was celebrated on Sunday.

There are, however, Afghan families who celebrate the festivity along with the people of Pakistan and they would observe their Eid today. But the majority of them go with their government in Afghanistan.

On the other hand, some Pakistanis in parts of Bajaur and Waziristan districts also celebrated the Eid a day earlier than their fellow Pakistanis. The observance of Eid in Pakistan has always been a matter of controversy. It is rare for all the people to observe the festivity on the same day.

Eid prayers were offered in the Afghan refugee camps in the provincial capital and other parts of the province.

At Tajabad, the Afghans were seen wearing new dresses. Their traditional attire comprising big turbans and embroidered shirts were the most common. They exchanged Eid greetings after the prayers.

In Peshawar, a large number of Afghans live in Hayatabad, Board Bazaar and Nasir Bagh.

This year, the municipal bodies especially Peshawar Development Authority, Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar and the local government administrations have not launched any awareness campaign about ensuring cleanliness on the occasion of Eid.

However, they like the previous years would remain active during Eid for early disposal of the wastes of sacrificial animals. There is a dire need for ensuring cleanliness and fumigation throughout Eid.