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Celebration of Eid by NWFP governor surprises all

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PESHAWAR: It is interesting to know that the federal government representative, Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, not only celebrated Eidul Fitr with the NWFP government on Sunday, but also allowed the Eid prayers to be offered at his official residence.

Those who attended the Eid prayers at the Governor House included NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti, NWFP Assembly Speaker Karamatullah Khan Chagharmati, provincial ministers and senior civil officials.

Normally, the chief executive of the province used to offer the Eid prayers at Eidgah on the Charsadda Road. However, the prayers were held on the lawn of the residence of the governor, who was supposed to follow the decision of the federal government at a time when the federal and provincial governments were in a clash over the issue.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee had not yet called even its meeting, when the local committee of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan, fully backed by the ANP-led NWFP government, announced sighting of the moon on Saturday evening and decided to celebrate Eid on Sunday.

“I feel immense pleasure in congratulating my countrymen in general and the people of the NWFP and Fata in particular on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Fitr,” said the governor in a statement that he issued on the Eid occasion. “Alhamdulillah, the day is being observed at a time when we as a nation are moving forward with a sense of satisfaction after many years of difficulties, mainly under the shadows of terrorism.”

To boost the morale of the Frontier Corps, its chief Major General Tariq Khan visited the Mohmand Agency on Sunday where he, along with his Jawans, offered the Eid prayers.

To the surprise of the people of the NWFP, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) threw its weight behind the federal government. The party was once involved in a similar clash with the then federal government when it was part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), ruling over the NWFP.

As majority of the politicians supported the verdict of the Qasim Ali Khan mosque, the official circles remained confused whether to follow the province or the federal government. They, however, believed that the evidence of sighting of moon, accepted by religious scholars, could not be turned down.

End.