The faithful thronged mosques and other places to offer juma prayers on the first Friday of the holy month of Ramazan amid stringent security measures adopted by the law enforcing agencies. In view of extra rush of faithful, mosques administration had to make special arrangements.
Police adopted stringent security measures for the protection of faithful. Policemen in plainclothes and uniform were deployed outside the mosques for countering any untoward incident. In some places, entry in mosques was allowed after body search. Senior police officers personally monitored the security arrangements.
In Lahore, the main juma congregations were held at Jamia Ashrafia, Data Darbar Mosque, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Badshahi Mosque, Nila Gunmbad Mosque, Wapda House Mosque, etc. Ulema and Mushaikh in their sermons highlighted the importance of the holy month of Ramazan and asked the well-to-do people to extend all possible help to their needy brethren so that they could also observe fast and get benefit from the blessings of this month. They also asked rich people to give their zakat and make sure their share of wealth is handed over to the needy people only. They said the holy month of Ramazan demands sacrifice and the faithful must fulfil their religious obligations.