Public safety overlaps Juma prayers amid coronavirus

The government issued the orders in the wake of the coronavirus limiting the number of the people from three to five in mosque as preventive measure against the further spread of the infection.

While announcing the official directive to this effect in Karachi, a police official burst into tears on loudspeaker, suggesting the point where a medical emergency overlaps the religious gathering.

However, the people from across Pakistan continued their prayers more or less according to their routines in congregations.

Lal Masjid, the second largest mosque in Islamabad, and many other mosques in Pakistan, including new Memon Mosque in Karachi, flouted the government’s order by holding Juma prayers.

However, the strength of the people remained lower and they offered prayers on the carpet as due to rain, the uncarpeted floor was not used for the rite.

In short, the government’s order was not obeyed that allowed not more than three or five persons, besides the mosque administration, at the mosque for Juma prayers.

In addition, very few mosques reported the availability of the sanitizers which are already short in the markets.

The largest mosque of Pakistan, Faisal Mosque, also arranged the Juma prayers that witnessed a limited number of people who offered prayers behind Maulana Zia-ul-Rehman. Urdu sermon was delivered only about the prevention of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile in Karachi, the citizens participated in Juma congregation in the usual manner and with total disregard of the directives issued by the Sindh government.

Even during the prayers, the people did not follow the SOPs and did not keep a distance between each other.

It should be noted that the government and the health authorities have been advising the people to keep at least one-meter distance between each other.

Earlier, the Islamabad authorities had directed several mosques in the capital city in the wake of the coronavirus. Jamia Masjid Ghosia Saidpur Village announced on the loudspeaker that the mosque had been closed for the Juma prayers and directed the people to offer Zohr prayers at homes, urging the people not to come to the mosques.

“The mosque has been locked down on the orders of the Station House Officer, Kohisar Islamabad,” it was heard from the loudspeaker.

Amid the public’s disregard for the executive orders in Sindh, the disgruntled CM of the province ordered a stricter lockdown in Karachi, directing the IG for the implementation.

During the meeting, the CM said “It’s not out of option, but out of pain that we decided to limit the jamat in the mosques,” adding that he himself offered prayer at home following the voice of the Imam from the pulpit.

“I request the people of Sindh to respect the government’s decision of the lockdown,” the CM said.