Amid a militant sponsored cease fire, Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated peacefully in Kashmir on Sunday.

This was for the first time during the last 18 years of violence that militants had announced a three day cease fire on Eid. However, both the central and state governments ignored the truce offer.

Huge Eid congregations were held across Kashmir. The biggest congregation was held at Hazratbal shrine here, where over three lakh people offered prayers. Former chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed also offered prayers there. Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad celebrated Eid with the victims of October 8, 2005 earthquake at border area of Tanghdar in north Kashmir.

Eid prayers were offered after 20 years at Eidgah in Srinagar. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference addressed the people and urged governments of India and Pakistan to take practical steps for the solution of Kashmir issue, which according to him is not a military issue but a political one.