Five daily prayers necessary, say Pak clerics flouting Covid-19 lockdown norms

Authorities in all provinces have officially restricted congregations in mosques. But several instances of violation of government orders have been reported.

The clerics in Pakistan have refused to adhere to government guidelines to stop the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19, saying the five daily prayers and the Friday prayers would be held in mosques.

Muslims attend Friday prayer despite Covid-19 lockdown, in Karachi. (Reuters Photo)

The ulemas and priests, however, said that they will follow the precautionary measures.

The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan inched towards 6,000 after 272 new infections were reported, the health ministry said on Wednesday as Prime Minister Imran Khan extended the ongoing lockdown until the end of this month to fight the pandemic.

He, however, said that some key industries would be opened in order to start business activities.

Authorities in all provinces have officially restricted congregations in mosques, including for Friday prayers, to five people or less for the past two weeks. But several instances of violation of government orders, and confrontation with police trying to enforce these orders, have been reported.

Mufti Taqi Usmani, a renowned religious scholar and former judge of the Federal Shariat Court, called the five daily prayers a “necessity”, according to Pakistan newspaper Dawn.

Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services said that the number of coronavirus patients in the country rose to 5,988, with 272 new cases and 11 deaths during the last 24 hours.

The ministry further said that Punjab reported 2,945 cases, Sindh 1,518, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 865, Balochistan 240, Gilgit-Baltistan 236, Islamabad 140 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 46.So far, 1,446 people have recovered from the disease and 107 deaths have been reported in the country.