Announcing Eid: Case filed against clerics in North Waziristan

PESHAWAR: A case was lodged against three clerics and seven other people on Wednesday for announcing sighting of Shawal moon and deciding to celebrate Eid ul Fitr in parts of North Waziristan even ahead of Saudi Arabia.

Many on the social media were criticising the private moon-sighting committee and those claiming sighting the moon on a day in the village in North Waziristan when no one in any part of the world came with such a claim.

As many as 19 locals in Haiderkhel village in Mir Ali tehsil, North Waziristan, had claimed sighting of the moon and appeared before the local clerics with the claim late Tuesday night. After receiving evidence of sighting of the moon, a local committee of clerics announced there would be no fasting on Wednesday and it would be the first day of Shawal in that part of the country.

The Mir Ali Police Station lodged a case against Maulvi Rafiullah, Mufti Nek Muhammad, Maulana Ilyas and seven other people who claimed sighting of the moon. The seven other people were identified as Fakhruddin, Istiqlal, Ihtisham, Irfanullah, Wasidullah, Abdul Ghani and Shah Fahad. The case was lodged under Ihtiram-e-Ramazan Ordinance 1981 and sections16 MPO, 511, 148 and 149 of the PPC.

The report stated the accused wanted to divide the people and create law and order situation by announcing Eidul Fitr on Wednesday when there was no Eid in any part of the world, including Saudi Arabia.

The member of the National Assembly from North Waziristan, Mohsin Dawar on his social media accounts said the Eidul Fitr moon sighted by about 20 people in Haiderkhel, North Waziristan. "As we celebrate Eid tomorrow, our thoughts and prayers will be with the families of missing persons, of those who've been killed extra-judicially and by terrorists and we will be praying for peace in the region."

Many on the social media also criticised the MNA, saying he has spread chaos and divided the people on fake evidence of sighting of Shawal moon even ahead of Saudi Arabia.