ISLAMABAD, 1 January 2007 — Pakistan’s Interior Ministry yesterday declared high security alert across the country for New Year’s Eve and Eid Al-Adha which will be officially celebrated today.
Police contingents were stationed at all the five star hotels of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi yesterday evening to ensure the safety of New Year’s Eve partygoers. This time the event is being celebrated with official patronage. Police are stationed to prevent right-wing extremist groups from attacking parties.
Cordons of police have been planned at all the major mosques where the congregations for Eid Al-Adha will take place.
Interior Ministry sources said security was also being beefed up at railway stations and airports. “These measures are taken to foil any act of terrorism which security agencies apprehend.
Meanwhile, controversy again prevailed over the celebration of Eid Al-Adha.
People of the North West Frontier Province in complete defiance of the chairman of the Central Roet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Munibur Rehman celebrated Eid yesterday. Afghans living in Balochistan and the NWFP celebrated Eid on Saturday while official Eid will be celebrated today.
The NWFP government of Muttaheda Majlis-e-Amal endorsed the celebration of Eid yesterday at the behest of Jamiat-e-Ulemai Islam leader Maulana Abdul Ghani.
