Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday extended Eid greetings to the people and called for special prayers for the Muslim Ummah, particularly those facing hardships in Palestine, Lebanon and Iran.
In her message on the occasion of Eid, Mehbooba said that while people celebrate the festival after the holy month of Ramadan, they should also remember those across the Muslim world who are going through difficult times and pray for relief and peace for them.
She also expressed regret that during a gathering she attended, prayers were not offered for Palestine, Lebanon or Iran, and said that Eid prayers should include prayers for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the entire Muslim Ummah, especially those suffering due to conflict and hardship.
Mehbooba appealed to people to extend help and support to those in need, saying that this is a time to show unity, compassion and solidarity with the suffering Muslim Ummah across the world.Meanwhile, Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated across Kashmir on Saturday with traditional fervour and gaiety as the largest congregation of devotees assembled at Hazratbal Shrine on the banks of Dal Lake.
However, authorities did not allow Eid Prayers at the historic Jama Masjid in the old Srinagar city.More than 50,000 devotees offered prayers at Hazratbal, which was the largest Eid congregation in Kashmir.A large posse of security forces was deployed at Jama Masjid in the Nowhatta area of the city to ensure that people did not assemble at these places for prayers.
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid had announced that Eid prayers will be held at Jama Masjid and urged authorities not to put curbs on the religious event.“For the seventh consecutive year, amid restrictions and house arrests, Eid prayers remain barred at Jama Masjid. A day of celebration turned to grief and denial for Muslims,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is the chief priest of Kashmir, posted on X.
“It’s an irony of our times that those who lock our mosques and Eidgahs are the first to wish us Eid Mubarak!” he said.Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah were among the notable persons to offer prayers at Hazratbal.Security forces were deployed in large numbers at vulnerable places in the city as authorities apprehended anti-US and anti-Israel protests after Eid prayers.Large congregations of Eid prayers were reported from all districts of the valley.
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