Ministry to enforce plan B on prayer timings

Last year, Ministry of Religious Affairs, issued uniform prayer timings for the whole year in the capital

ISLAMABAD: After facing a number of hurdles in introducing uniform prayer timings, the government has now devised a mechanism to implement it, it emerged on Sunday.

Last year, Ministry of Religious Affairs, in consultation with clerics from four mainstream sects, issued uniform prayer timings for the whole year in the capital. The ministry, however, failed to implement the timings and has now come up with a new project which has been finalised by the ministry, explained an official.



The ministry currently faces two issues with regards to the implementation of uniform prayer timings. It lacks the infrastructure and also has no existing laws binding the clerics to follow the uniform prayer timings, explained the official.

The official added that around 1,150 mosques and imambargahs are functional in the capital and it is practically impossible for the ministry to visit each mosque to ensure implementation. Under the project, the ministry will hire people and task them to convince clerics to implement the uniform prayer timings.

“The ministry doesn’t want to confront clerics so the fresh inductees will be asked to convince them,” said the official, who requested anonymity because he was unauthorised to speak to the media.

Can uniform prayer timings in Islamabad bring religious harmony?

Similarly, the ministry will purchase over 30 motorcycles for the fresh inductees so they can visit the capital’s mosques regularly.

Meanwhile, the ministry is also working on the proposed law on uniform prayer timings.

Coordination with provinces

The ministry has also geared up its efforts to implement uniform timings across the country and has asked all the provincial authorities to draft a legislation to address the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2016.