QUETTA: The Balochistan government will implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) in all the 590 mosques of Quetta for holding Taraweeh, as earlier decided in meetings between the president, prime minister and leading ulema to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani on Wednesday. The meeting also reviewed implementation of lockdown and safety arrangements for citizens during Ramazan.

Quetta Division Commissioner Usman Ali Khan briefed the chief minister on his meetings with traders’ bodies and religious scholars and said the latter had promised to follow the 20-point SOPs during Friday and Taraweeh prayers in Quetta.

“Mosques and prayer leaders violating Covid-19 safety precautions would be warned in the first phase while the business community has been directed to preclude the lockdown following rapid virus transmission in Quetta and other cities of Balochistan,” said the commissioner.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2020