Eid brings hope for broken households

Emotional meetings arranged for estranged parents, children

RAWALPINDI:

On the second day of Eidul Fitr, Sunday, special meetings were arranged between divorced parents and their estranged children at the Judicial Complex Facilitation Centre, with the permission of the Senior Civil Judge Rawalpindi.

A total of 134 divorced couples attended the sessions to meet their children. Extended family members — including grandparents and close relatives — were also present on the occasion. The children, dressed in festive attire, arrived eagerly to reunite with their separated parents.

The atmosphere was deeply emotional, with many poignant scenes witnessed throughout the day. Mothers embraced their children with overwhelming affection, while some were seen kissing them repeatedly and feeding them with their own hands.

The children received generous Eidi in the form of cash, clothes, shoes, and gifts, as well as refreshments such as pizza, juice, cake and ice cream. Moments of joy were evident, as families captured selfies together during the reunions.

According to arrangements made under the judge's directives, the meetings commenced at 10am and continued until 3pm. Despite the public holiday, the facilitation centre was specially opened to accommodate the gatherings. Strict security measures were in place, with a significant police presence deployed to ensure order.

Several children, including Kashif, Naina and Ferguson, expressed their happiness, saying they were delighted to meet their parents and relatives and to receive gifts on Eid.

Officials also noted a concerning trend, observing that in recent years, marriages originating from social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook have coincided with a significant rise in divorce rates.

Families flock to cemeteries

Early on Eid day, families visited graveyards across the city to offer prayers and floral tributes to their departed loved ones.

People placed flowers, chadars, and incense on graves while reciting the Holy Quran, often with tears in their eyes. This continued from morning till evening across 55 graveyards in the city.

Following Fajr prayers, families arrived in large numbers, causing severe traffic congestion on roads, streets, and pathways leading to cemeteries. Vehicles, motorcycles, and rickshaws crowded the routes, bringing traffic to a standstill.

Meanwhile, prices of flowers and chadars witnessed a sharp increase. Mixed flowers were sold at Rs500 per kg, while fresh flowers reached Rs600 per kg. Dry flower sheets ranged between Rs700 and Rs1,500, while fresh floral chadars were sold between Rs1,000 and Rs2,000.

Hundreds of stalls selling flowers, incense, and chadars were set up outside graveyards and will remain operational throughout the three days of Eid.