A group of over 50 senior clerics in Pakistan has warned the government against the ban on religious congregations amidst the coronavirus outbreak and said the authorities should instead abide by religious norms and allow more worshippers in mosques to seek forgiveness from Allah.
The government has banned prayer congregations of more than five people as part of its measures to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has infected over 5,715 people in Pakistan.
Despite the government's pleas to observe social distancing, over 53 senior clerics of Rawalpindi and Islamabad belonging to the Wafaqul Madaris al Arabia on Monday held a meeting in Jamia Darul Uloom Zakria here to discuss the ban on prayer congregations, the Dawn News reported.
The meeting -- attended by clerics representing various seminaries, banned groups, proscribed persons and political and non-political parties -- warned the authorities against the ban and said government leaders should abide by religious norms and seek forgiveness.
The warning came before the government could come up with a plan to curb the spread of COVID-19 during the holy month of Ramazan, which will begin in the last week of April.
Pir Azizur Rehman Hazarvi, president of the Jamia Darul Uloom Zakaria in Islamabad, said, "The closure of mosques, shutting down Friday prayers and Taraweeh is unacceptable to the countrymen."
The clerics, however, agreed to take precautionary measures like use of hand sanitisers, removal of rugs and carpets, washing of floors, cleaning of hands with soaps and social distancing. Hazarvi said, "The senior clerics have noted that all efforts will be made to avoid clash and confrontations with the government and the state institutions."
Lal Masjid's cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz also continued to challenge the authority of Islamabad Capital Territoty (ICT) administration by openly flouting the stipulated precautionary measures, the report said