Murree Hills Attract Thousands During Eid ul Azha 

News Desk 

Rawalpindi: On the third day of Eid ul Azha, just like the second day, people across the Rawalpindi division flocked to fun places to celebrate the festival. Many visited their relatives and recreational spots to enjoy Eid with their loved ones.

In Rawalpindi, there was significant traffic congestion as people headed to popular picnic spots such as Ayub National Park, PlayLand, Allama Iqbal Park, Family Park, Commercial Markets in Satellite Town, Jinnah Park, Romi Park, and other parks. Girls were seen enjoying swings, children were excitedly riding merry-go-rounds, and adults were delighted to see smiles on their children’s faces.

A large number of people also traveled to Murree Hills, where the weather was particularly pleasant during Eid. Parks in Rawalpindi were specially decorated to attract visitors.

However, families visiting these parks expressed concerns about overcharging, the sale of substandard food items, and the unavailability of quality products.

Vendors exploited the situation as authorities failed to control prices and quality, giving shopkeepers a free hand. Citizens demanded action against those overcharging and taking advantage of tourists.

A visitor, Mushtaq, mentioned he visited Ayub Park with his family and found the food prices at the canteen to be exorbitant, feeling that children were being overcharged for their Eid treats.

A special control room was set up at the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Office in Rawalpindi to handle any emergency situations.

According to a spokesperson from the Commissioner’s Office, on the orders of Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, Engineer Aamir Khattak, departments such as the Police, City Traffic Police (CTP), and Rescue-1122 were on high alert during Eid ul Azha to ensure security and provide maximum relief to citizens.

Authorities were instructed to pay special attention to parks and public places, and special posts were set up by Rescue-1122 to prevent any incidents. Residents celebrated Eid ul Azha with great religious zeal and festivity.

Tight security measures were implemented by the Rawalpindi police under the directives of City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mehmood Hamdani, with no incidents reported. 

City Traffic Police, following Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Rawalpindi Taimoor Khan’s instructions, facilitated smooth traffic flow. In Murree, traffic wardens managed to control traffic effectively.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Aamir Khattak and Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hassan Waqar Cheema visited SOS Village and the Child Protection Bureau to share Eid celebrations with the children, cutting an Eid cake and distributing gifts. Special meals were organized for the children.

People planned various activities, including BBQ parties at home, and many families visited public parks like Ayub Park, Zia Park, Jinnah Park, Nawaz Sharif Park, Lake View, and resorts such as Murree, Pir Sohawa, Daman-e-Koh, F-9 Park, and Rawal Lake. 

They enjoyed making tikkas and kebabs and relished foods like chana chat, gol gappay, burgers, finger chips, pakoras, samosas, and sweets.

Due to the three public holidays announced by the government, many citizens headed to the hill resort Murree. Despite the influx of vehicles, the heavy deployment of traffic wardens ensured that the traffic situation remained under control

 Special traffic plans were implemented to manage the increased traffic, and pickets were set up to discourage one-wheeling. Superintendent of Police, Saddar Nabeel Khokhar, also reviewed security and traffic arrangements in Murree, with 700 cops and 300 traffic wardens deployed to maintain order.