MIRPUR (AJK): Muslims of Azad Jammu & Kashmir celebrated Eid-ul-Azha with traditional religious zeal and fervor coupled with the renewal of the pledge to continue acting upon the teachings of Islam.
The day dawned with special prayers in the mosques for the stability, unity and solidarity of the Muslim Ummah, progress and prosperity of Pakistan and early liberation of all occupied Muslim homelands including Palestine and Indian held Jammu & Kashmir.
Eid-ul-Azha prayer congregations were held under the set SOPs to avert threat of the fresh spike of corona virus in cities and towns of all ten districts of the liberated territory including the state's metropolis Muzaffarabad, Jhelum valley (Hattiyan Bala), Mirpur, Kotli, Bhimbher, Bagh, Sudhanoti, Rawalakot, Havaili and Neelam valley districts where the people offered Eid prayer at the mosques, Eid gahs and open places. The biggest Eid congregation in the AJK Capital was held at Markazi Eid gah where hundreds of Muslims offered Eid prayer under the set SOPs. Ulema and Khateebs from different schools of thought delivered special sermons to highlight the significance of the day and the purpose of the sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) centuries ago.
They strongly condemned the locking of mosques, Eid gahs and other places of worships of the Muslims in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu Kashmir by the Indian occupational forces to stop the Kashmiris from offering the Eid prayers in the bleeding occupied state. They also condemned the ban imposed by Indian occupational forces in occupied Jammu Kashmir over central Eid prayers congratulations, slaughtering of the sacrificial animals including cow and selling of beef in the wake of recent renewed reign of human rights abuses and the state terrorism in the Indian Illegally occupied territory.
AJK President Sardar Masood Khan, Prime Minster of AJK Raja Farooq Haider Khan and Chairman Parliamentary Kashmir Committee Sheheryar Khan Afridi offered Eid prayer at central Eid gah in Muzaffarabad.
Later, talking to delegations of masses and the media, they strongly condemned the continued carnage of innocent people in occupied Jammu & Kashmir by the Indian occupational forces especially since the black day of August 05, 2019 when India scrapped the special status of the disputed Jammu & Kashmir state unilaterally at GUN point blatantly defying International norms and commitments. They expressed full solidarity, love and affection with the suffering freedom loving Kashmiri brethren in their just and principled struggle for liberation of the motherland from India clutches.
Later on the 'Farzandan-e-Touheed' sacrificed the permitted animals including camels, cows, sheep and goats following the foot steps of the towering personality of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) who by obeying the order of Allah Almighty, asked his son Hazrat Ismail (AS) for his sacrifice. A sheep was slaughtered instead and Muslims were directed to commemorate the event every year.
Foolproof security arrangements were made for Eid-ul-Azha congregations at mosques, Eid-gahs and Imam Bargahs during the Eid prayer congregations across the AJK territory.