The only way to reduce risk of contracting this virus is to maintain social distancing and avoid public gatherings
WAH CANTT: Last Saturday, President Arif Alvi announced the opening of mosques for congregational prayers in the holy month of Ramazan after a consensus with well-known religious scholars. This decision came days before the number of people infected with the coronavirus in Pakistan hit 10,000. Senior doctors have raised the alarm over this decision while health experts across the globe are urging governments to maintain strict lockdown conditions to stop the spread of the deadly virus. President Alvi, however, said that no one can stop people from going to mosques. He also presented 20 points on which both the government and the religious scholars agreed, one of which claims that elderly and sick people will not be allowed inside mosques.
While the President assured that people would maintain social distancing and all other measures, what was seen in the next few days was something totally awe-striking. In some areas of Karachi, dozens of angry worshippers attacked police officials when they tried to enforce restrictions on congregational prayers. Worshippers broke protocol and entered mosques by the dozens while creating havoc after prayers.
With such evidence at hand, allowing worshippers to go to mosques during the month of Ramazan will only increase the threat and spread of infections. The only way to reduce the risk of contracting this virus is to maintain social distancing and avoidance of public gatherings. The government should withdraw its decision to allow congregational prayers in mosques in view of the public well-being.
Maryam Nabeel
Published in The Express Tribune, April 25th, 2020.
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