A sombre Eid celebrated in Waziristan
Tribesmen avoid large mosques; cleric blames Musharraf for killings
By Mushtaq Yusufzai & Haji Yaseen
PESHAWAR/MIRANSHAH: Fearing air attacks by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter aircraft, tribesmen of the Waziristan agencies on Friday avoided Eid prayers in big mosques and Eidgahs, local tribesmen said.
Eid prayers were offered in village mosques instead of the main Eidgah or Tableeghi Markaz. Residents said the Eid prayers could not be offered in any mosque in Mir Aliís populous villages like Musaki, Hurmaz, Esori, Mullagan, Ipi, Haiderkhel, Khushali, Mir Ali and Zeeraki.
Sources told The News that these villages had been completely vacated after Mondayís severe bombing by the fighter aircraft. Contrary to their previous practice, residents of both the tribal agencies observed Eidul Fitr on Friday as per the traditions of neighbouring Afghanistan, which follows the Saudi governmentís decision on moon sighting. Previously, they used to abide by the verdict of a Peshawar-based Ruet body, which usually meets at Masjid Qasim Ali Khan.
Qari Muhammad Roman, the Imam at the main Miranshah Jamia Masjid, had earlier announced to offer Eid prayers at the Tableeghi Markaz. However, the announcement could not be materialised for 90 per cent of the local population had fled to Bannu district due to the recent air strikes on their villages.
Hundreds of people from both the tribal agencies, working in other cities of the country, could not manage to spend the Eid day with their family members because all in-and-out routes to the tribal agency, including Bannu-Miranshah, Miranshah-Razmak, Miranshah-Ghulam Khan, Miranshah-Dattakhel and Thall-Mir Ali remained closed for the last six days.
AFP adds: Some 10,000 tribesmen gathered for the Eid prayers in Miranshah, where days of clashes earlier this week left around 250 people dead. Nearby Mir Ali, the second largest town in North Waziristan, where most of the fighting was centred, was almost deserted, remaining residents told AFP by telephone.
In his sermon, Maulvi Mohammed Roman blamed President Pervez Musharraf for civilian deaths in recent clashes. ìThis Eid our hearts are sad. Our sisters and brothers and children have died,î he said. ìOur people were bombed on Musharrafís orders and innocent people were murdered and thousands had to leave their homes during Ramazan and Eid,î Roman said.
A sombre Eid celebrated in Waziristan