ABBOTTABAD: The district administration has warned that it will seal mosques, which violate anti-coronavirus standard operating procedures during the fasting month of Ramazan.

The warning was issued by commissioner of Hazara division Riaz Mehsud during a meeting here on Thursday.

The meeting was attended by religious scholars from the entire division, deputy commissioners and district police officers of Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra and Battagram, regional police officer of Hazara Mirwais Niaz and other relevant officials.

The commissioner asked religious scholars to play their role for the prevention and control of coronavirus.

He said SOPs weren’t meant for mosques and seminaries only and instead, they’re enforced in all public places, offices and transport vehicles.

Mr Mehsud said the government couldn’t go for complete lockdowns in light of the people’s problems.

He urged the media to raise public awareness of SOPs.

According to SOPs issued by the district administration, worshippers will perform ablution at home, leave for mosques wearing face masks and observe physical distancing while praying to prevent themselves from the infection.

The use of carpets in mosques has been prohibited and prayers will be performed on bare surface cleaned or mopped with chlorine water or disinfectant.

Under SOPs, taraweeh congregations will not be held on roads, footpaths and anywhere other than mosques. Also, there will be a complete ban on iftar gatherings, group aitekaf, and other religious gatherings.

The administration has stopped people over the age of 50 years and children from going to mosques.

The religious scholars assured the administration of their complete support and cooperation for SOP implementation in mosques and seminaries.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Anti-women state
Updated 25 Nov, 2024

Anti-women state

GLOBALLY, women are tormented by the worst tools of exploitation: rape, sexual abuse, GBV, IPV, and more are among...
IT sector concerns
25 Nov, 2024

IT sector concerns

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ambitious plan to increase Pakistan’s IT exports from $3.2bn to $25bn in the ...
Israel’s war crimes
25 Nov, 2024

Israel’s war crimes

WHILE some powerful states are shielding Israel from censure, the court of global opinion is quite clear: there is...
Short-changed?
Updated 24 Nov, 2024

Short-changed?

As nations continue to argue, the international community must recognise that climate finance is not merely about numbers.
Overblown ‘threat’
24 Nov, 2024

Overblown ‘threat’

ON the eve of the PTI’s ‘do or die’ protest in the federal capital, there seemed to be little evidence of the...
Exclusive politics
24 Nov, 2024

Exclusive politics

THERE has been a gradual erasure of the voices of most marginalised groups from Pakistan’s mainstream political...