Months ago, even with the novel coronavirus lurking, Pakistanis were eager for Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, after a long fast.
The virus barely affected the country and so officials lifted some health restrictions to allow people to shop and socialize for the celebrations.
Today Pakistan expects to start celebrating Eid on July 31, subject to the moon's sighting. But the conditions are different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has infected millions and changed the global lifestyle.
Eid al-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to sacrifice his son. Muslims around the world observe this event and so the Eid has long become a public holiday.
Unlike in the past, today the authorities are banning the setting up of small makeshift cattle markets within cities and slaughter of animals in open spaces, fearing an increase in Covid-19 virus infections.
But even though many are visiting the markets to buy animals after inspecting them physically to have them slaughtered in keeping with Islamic tradition.
