ISLAMABAD: Pakistani people and politicians went out of their way to express solidarity with the residents of Indian-administered Kashmir, who were confined to their houses by the government in New Delhi after it stripped the Muslim-majority region of its special constitutional status that theoretically offered it a degree of political autonomy, as Eid Al-Adha celebrations began on Monday.
President Arif Alvi congratulated the nation on the occasion, urging the people not to forget the deprived in this hour of happiness. He stressed that “Muslims had to rise above their personal and factional interests” and help one another.
The president also called upon the countrymen to play their role in national development by promoting positive social values like brotherhood, tolerance, equality and patience.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi offered Eid prayer in Muzaffarabad, the capital city of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and led a rally along with the local leadership to express solidarity with the people of Indian-administered Kashmir.
Tensions are once again mounting between India and Pakistan after the administration in New Delhi scrapped constitutional provisions that promised special status to the Muslim-majority state. Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory which is claimed by the two South Asian nuclear neighbors in full, though they only administer portions of it.
Qureshi also announced that Prime Minister Imran Khan would visit Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Pakistan’s independence day (August 14), adding that he would address the region’s legislative assembly to express solidarity with Kashmiris.
Security was tight across the country as people woke up on Monday to celebrate the annual Muslim festival that follows Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah. After seeking peace and tranquility for the people of Kashmir while performing their Eid prayer, affluent individuals slaughtered sacrificial animals, including goats, sheep, cows and camels, to mark the festival.
Cattle markets across the country were full of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid Al-Adha. Most people spend the occasion with their relatives, and it is a common practice to distribute meat among one’s family and the poor on this day.