Governor urges social distancing in mosques

Expresses fears about spread of virus in coming days

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said that the Ulema and mosque administrations have the responsibility to cooperate with police and all other government departments in implementing preventive measures against coronavirus, including social distancing.

Speaking to Badshahi Mosque Khateeb Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, Pir Nazim Hussain Shah and others, he warned that thousands of people will be infected by coronavirus in the absence of precautionary and safety measures at mosques. He said history would not pardon anyone if this happened.

The governor said the whole nation had to understand that coronavirus pandemic is not vanishing and it will rather spread in days to come, “for which we have to get prepare right now”.

He said the government is taking effective preventive measures against the pandemic, because it is their responsibility to save the 220 million Pakistanis from the virus. “With all sincerity and having complete consensus with Ulema, we have formulated a policy regarding Ramazan.”

The governor said that if the mosque administrations and people would not follow this policy, it would have dire consequences as thousands of people might be affected by the pandemic.

“That is why we do not have to show laxity in this regard even for a moment.” The Punjab governor said the government is standing by the poor families that have lost their livelihood due to the coronavirus crisis.

The federal government is distributing Rs144 billion among 12.5 million deserving families and the affected people are being supported without taking political affiliation into consideration. He said the government is ensuring merit and transparency in the relief and aid process through a digital system.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2020.