ISLAMABAD   -   The residents of twin cities celebrated Eid-ul-Azha with great religious zeal, fervour, and festivity on Wednesday.

Heavy rain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Chaand Raat and Eid day turned the weather pleasant. Hundreds of Eid congregations were held while people also offered Eid prayer at mosques, Eidgahs, Imambargahs, and other open areas amid tight security. 

Eid congregations were held at Liaquat Bagh, Eid Gah Sharif, Islamia Seminary at F-Block, Gordon College Ground, Viqar-un-Nisa Ground, Daral Aloom Hanfia Usmania Ganjmandi, Jamia Mosque Bahar-e-Madina, Rawal Road, Jamia Masjid Abu-al-Qasim Jan Colony Tench, Rawalpindi Medical College Ground Tipu Road, Jamia Masjid Khatim-ul-Nabiyan Neelam Colony, Jamia Masjid Westridge, Jamia Masjid Bilali Arya Mohala, Jamia Masjid Akbari Mohan Pura, Jamia Masjid Zia Hanfia Gulzar-e-Quaid, Jamia Masjid Wapda Colony Mareer, Liaquat Bagh, Jamia Masjid Riaz-ul-Jannat Kuri Road, Markazi Eid Gah Gawalmandi, 22 Number Chungi, Jamia Masjid Morgah, Jamia Masjid Gulzar-e-Madina Dhama Syedan, Jamia Masjid Gulshan-e-Abad, Rukhshanda Masjid Adyaal Road, Jamia Masjid Rajgan Dhamial Road, and many other localities

Special prayers were offered for the progress and prosperity of the country, unity of the Muslim Ummah, solution of their problems and liberation of Muslim territories, including Indian held Kashmir.

On the occasion, tight security arrangements had been made by Rawalpindi Police under the surveillance of City Police Officer (CPO) Muhammad Ahsan Younas in Islamabad under command of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Qazi Jamil Ur Rehman.

Scores of well-equipped policemen besides Elite force commandos and lady police had been deputed outside bazaars, shopping centres. and sensitive public and private buildings. 

Strict security measures had also been adopted outside the Eid congregation, while police kept patrolling.

Two murder incidents were reported in twin cities during the Eid holidays.

City Traffic Police, following the instructions of Chief Traffic Officer Rai Mazhar also facilitated the citizens by smoothing traffic flow. In Murree, the wardens also controlled traffic mess successfully. 

More than 40,000 vehicles packed with tourists entered Murree in the first three days of Eid. The CTP and Motorway police had to close the Murree Expressway to avoid the crowd at the hill resort. CTO Rai Mazhar was himself in the field to guide wardens and to control traffic.

Soon after offering Eid prayers, people greeted each other, slaughtered sacrificial animals, distributed the meat among relatives, friends and poor, and visited graveyards laying floral wreaths and offering Fateha on the graves of their loved ones. 

City Police Officer (CPO) Muhammad Ahsan Younas and Regional Police Officer (RPO) Imran Ahmer offered Eid Prayers at Police Line Number 1 and greeted cops. Earlier, CPO visited the city to monitor the deployment of cops to maintain law and order.