Fazl ‘refuses’ to attend pandemic meeting convened by president

President Arif Alvi on Friday called Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazl-ur-Rehman over the phone to discuss the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Talking over the phone, Fazl refused to attend the Saturday’s meeting convened by the president on the coronavirus outbreak and the future course of action. According to the sources, Fazl told the president that his party had given Mufti Taqi Usmani all powers to make decisions in the prevailing situation. He said that first the federal government and the provinces should come on one page vis-à-vis lockdown in the country. He said that a lack of coordination between the federal government and the provincial governments on the lockdown was resulting in spread of coronavirus.

Fazl said that religious figures had already submitted their proposals to the government on dealing with the crisis. He said that five regular prayers and taraveeh prayers would be offered in all mosques with precautionary measures.