On Sunday, the second day of Eidul Fitr, special meetings between divorced parents and their separated children were organized at the Judicial Complex Facilitation Center with the permission of the Chief 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 costumes, arrived eager to be reunited with their separated parents. The atmosphere was deeply emotional and many moving scenes were witnessed throughout the day. Mothers hugged 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, along with snacks such as pizza, juice, cakes and ice cream. Moments of joy were evident as families took selfies together during the gatherings. According to the provisions adopted by order of the judge, the meetings began at ten in the morning and continued until three in the afternoon. Despite the holiday, the facilitation center was opened especially to host the meetings. Strict security measures were implemented and a significant police presence was deployed to ensure order. Several children, including Kashif, Naina and Ferguson, expressed their happiness and said they were delighted to meet their parents and relatives and receive gifts on Eid. Officials also noted a worrying trend, noting that in recent years, marriages originating on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook have coincided with a significant increase in divorce rates. Families flock to cemeteries Early on Eid day, families visited cemeteries across the city to offer prayers and floral tributes to their deceased loved ones. People placed flowers, chadars and incense on the graves while reciting the Holy Quran, often with tears in their eyes. This continued from morning until afternoon in 55 cemeteries in the city. After the Fajr prayers, large numbers of families arrived, causing severe traffic congestion on highways, streets and paths leading to the cemeteries. Vehicles, motorcycles and rickshaws filled the roads, paralyzing traffic. Meanwhile, prices of flowers and chadars saw a sharp rise. Mixed flowers were sold at Rs 500 per kg, while fresh flowers fetched Rs 600 per kg. Dried flower leaves ranged between Rs 700 and Rs 1,500, while fresh floral chadars were sold between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000. Hundreds of stalls selling flowers, incense and chadars have been set up outside the cemeteries and will remain operational for the three days of Eid.
Eid brings hope to broken homes
