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Eid marred by power breakdowns in city

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: Eidul Fitr in Lahore was marred by power breakdowns in many parts of the city caused by reckless kite-flying.

The provincial government appeared unable to enforce a one-month ban on the sport imposed by the Supreme Court, with as many as 1,000 minor and 50 major instances of kites or their string getting entangled with power cables reported in three days, causing power outages and even fires at grid stations. The Delhi Gate, Chah Miran, Bhaati Gate and Sabzazar sub-division grid stations were damaged when their transformers caught fire. The Mochi Gate area suffered the worst power failure, and the Lahore Electric Supply Corporation (LESCO) had to arrange an alternative transformer to provide power to the area.

Residents of Mozang, Faisal Town, Johar Town, the Walled City, Mason Road, Shadman, Ravi Road, Shahdara, Shadbagh, Misri Shah and Mahmood Booti also suffered minor power breakdowns. The day started with Eid prayers at nearly 1,000 places in the city. People prayed for the solidarity of Pakistan and offered special prayers for the October 8 earthquake victims.

The larger Eid congregations were held at the Badshahi Mosque – where Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool also offered his prayers -, Data Darbar, Wazir Khan Mosque, Muslim Mosque, Jamia Ashrafia, Model Town Central Park, Jamia Al-Muntazar, Jamia Masjid Minhajul Quran, Jamia Masjid Nila Gumbad, Masjid-e-Shuhada and the Mansoora Jamia Mosque.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain celebrated Eid in Muzaffarabad with the quake-affected people, while Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi celebrated the festival in his hometown of Gujrat.

Special security arrangements had been made for Eid, and police officials were deployed at the city’s major mosques during Eid prayers. Similar arrangements were in place at public places, highways, shopping malls and markets.

During the afternoon, people visited the Lahore Zoo, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Race Course Park, Model Town Park, Lawrence Gardens, Minar-e-Pakistan and Jallo Park in large numbers. Theatres and cinemas also attracted large audiences by screening new movies and hosting new plays, while restaurants and the food streets also did good business.

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