Shias Divided over Eid Celebrations

Shias divided over Eid celebrations in J&K

Srinagar: For the first time, the Shia Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir would be celebrating Eid-ul-Fitron two different days as a section of people confirmed the sighting of the crescent moon even as the rest, along with the Sunnis, would observe it on Wednesday.

Followers of Aga Syed Hassan Budgami, an executive member of Hurriyat Conference(HC) and Moulvi Iftekhar Hussain Ansari, member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), offered Eid prayers on Tuesday marking the end of Ramzan, the holy month of fasting.

People in the Shia-dominated Kargil area of the state too reported seeing the crescent moon and offered prayers.

However, most other Shia factions, including the one headed by former HC chairman Moulvi Abbas Ansari and Moulvi Sibte Mohammad Shabbir continued to fast on Tuesday and will celebrate Eid on Wednesday along with the state's Sunnis.

The grand mufti of Kashmir Mufti Bashiruddin on Monday night announced he had not received information about sighting of the crescent from anywhere in the state and that Eid would be celebrated on Wednesday.

The mufti's announcement usually comes only after the Hilal Committee of Pakistan makes an announcement on the sighting of the moon.