While Muslims across the globe were urged to strengthen their unity, Eidul Fitr in Pakistan divided the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) governments in the Centre and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As the rest of the country decided to observe fast on Tuesday, the Peshawar administration was quick to announce celebrating Eid a day ahead, hence drawing the ire of scores of people, especially Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry.
Fawad criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision to celebrate Eid on June 4 and termed it an “embarrassment”. Talking to a private TV channel, he said it was impossible to see the Shawwal moon on June 3. He said the decision of the provincial government to celebrate Eid on Tuesday was inappropriate.
The federal minister maintained that the decision caused humiliation and gave a perception that lies were supervised by the state itself. “The government does not get itself involved in sects and local disputes, people are free to celebrate Eid, but a religious festival should not be based upon lies. Even Luqman al-Hakeem had no cure for ignorance. The issue of moon sighting will also be resolved eventually, as the innovations of printing press, railway and loud speaker were accepted after years.”
He said societies develop under the leadership of contemporary minds and hopefully the literate class would not remain silent over the matter. “We have to reject backward mind-set, and wisdom and knowledge will eventually prevail in Pakistan.”
On the other hand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai lashed out at Fawad Chaudhry for criticising the provincial government’s decision to celebrate Eid on Tuesday.
“I suggest ‘Mufti Fawad’ to focus on his work and not target the government and religious scholars,” Yousafzai said.
He defended the KP government’s decision to declare Tuesday as the first day of Eid, suggesting that while they were celebrating Eid on the correct day, the provincial government should have announced the beginning of Ramazan a day earlier.
“We started fasting as per the announcement of [Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee] Mufti Muneebur Rehman but beginning the fast a day earlier would have been [more] accurate,” the minister told a private news channel. “We will fast for one extra day as compensation for the fast [missed].”
He said it was a misunderstanding that the KP government had announced Eid on Tuesday on the instructions of Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, the Peshawar-based cleric who is frequently at the centre of controversies regarding sighting of the Ramazan and Shawwal moons.
The information minister revealed that Prime Minister Imran Khan had been approached before announcing Eid in KP. “The prime minister responded that ‘it is your matter and you understand it better’,” Yousafzai added.
The provincial minister also criticised Mufti Muneeb, saying the cleric had raised objection over Fawad Chaudhry’s efforts to celebrate Eid across the country on the same day. He claimed that Mufti Muneeb says “science has nothing to do with moon sighting”.
“Mufti Muneeb’s statement on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project shows his disappointment,” the minister said, claiming that Mufti Muneeb, instead of presenting arguments, says that the provincial government would not survive.
Yousafzai said that there were differences within the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee as well. “Mufti Muneeb should step aside as retirement happens in every job,” he added.
On Monday, the KP information minister had announced that the provincial government after taking into account testimonies of moon sighting from all over the province decided to celebrate Eid on June 4.
The minister said that the government received a number of testimonies for Shawwal moon sighting from the former Federally Administrative Tribal Areas.
Earlier in the day, Popalzai said 48 witnesses had turned up in Bannu, seven in Mir Ali (North Waziristan), three in Mardan, two in Charsadda, 15 in Lakki Marwat, 18 in Karak and four in Hangu.
As the sky in Peshawar and adjoining areas was cloudy on Monday, the body relied mostly on witnesses from other districts.