- Title: RELIGION-EID/PAKISTAN Pakistanis celebrate Eid amid tight security
- Date: 18th July 2015
- Summary: LAHORE, PAKISTAN (JULY 17, 2015) (REUTERS) PASSENGERS GOING THROUGH SECURITY CHECK AT RAIL STATION PEOPLE STANDING INSIDE RAIL STATION PEOPLE STANDING AT TICKET COUNTER (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) MAN LEAVING FOR HIS VILLAGE, SHAHID ABBASI, SAYING: "I have got a ticket but there are no seats. There is a very bad situation in the Reservation office. People are lined up there, being
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Pakistan
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA5YMBTUDWEED7IZL867QYR6A7B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Muslims in Pakistan celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Saturday (July 18) which marks the end to the fasting month of Ramadan.
The official five-day holiday began on Friday (July 17) and saw crowds of people thronging bus stands and railway stations across the country as people travelled to celebrate the festival with their families.
Security was tight across the country throughout the holy month.
In Lahore and Peshawar, people made their way through security checks and stood in long queues at ticket counters before jostling with other commuters for space on the overcrowded public transport vehicles.
Some people complained that despite booking their tickets in advance they still had to wait in queues for buses and trains in the hot weather. Shahid Abbasi, who works as a security guard in a bank in Lahore, said he had bought a ticket for his village in interior Punjab two weeks ago, but could not find a seat in any train going in that direction.
"I have got a ticket but there are no seats. There is a very bad situation in the Reservation office. People are lined up there, being pushed around but there is no one there to handle the situation," Abbasi said.
Meanwhile, security officials were present across markets in the country that were bustling as people did their last minute shopping ahead of Eid.
On Saturday, millions in cities and towns across the Muslim-majority country of 190 million people gathered in mosques to offer Eid prayers.
Police and other law enforcement personnel saw their leave cancelled as security was tightened ahead of the festival with thousands of policemen standing outside mosques in the country as worshippers offered Eid prayers.
"The security arrangements were adequate. Security personnel and law enforcing agencies were posted all around the mosque, and gave very good protection to the worshippers. We are very satisfied with the security arrangements," said Karachi resident Shujaat Ali as he came out of a mosque after offering prayers.
The country's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was celebrating Eid in Saudi Arabia.
Eid-al-Fitr marks the end of the one-month fasting period of Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islamic teaching. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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