‘Mosques can’t be closed,’ PM Imran Khan decides in meeting with religious minister

Prime Minister Imran Khan has instructed Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri to stay in touch with the Ulema and the National Command and Operations Centre as Pakistan continues to fight the second wave of the coronavirus.

Qadri called on the premier in Islamabad on Friday.

It was agreed that mosques cannot be closed, but the implementation of coronavirus SOPs must be emphasised.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs should ensure the provision of indicators of the spread of corona to the Ulema, PM Imran told Qadri in the meeting.

He also spoke about the possibility of including implementation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures in sermons.

On Thursday, the Pakistani Ulema had unanimously agreed with the government that public rallies should be postponed considering the growing number of coronavirus cases in the country.

Religious scholars met with President Dr Arif Alvi to discuss implementing coronavirus SOPs in mosques to contain the spread of the disease.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, President Alvi had said that akin to the government, religious scholars have also expressed their concern over the rising number of cases in the country during the ongoing second wave of the infection.

A day of prayer was observed today for this purpose.