PM Imran meets Maulana Tariq Jamil, lauds him for COVID-19 awareness campaign

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said Thursday religious scholars’ cooperation was crucial to stem the spread of coronavirus and that he would soon meet a delegation of ulema in that regard.

In a meeting with renowned religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil, the prime minister lauded Jamil’s public awareness campaign to curb the COVID-19.

PM Imran said the purpose of the government’s efforts was to save the people from the pandemic, which had engulfed the entire world.

He said the religious scholars had always guided the government in every difficult situation.

The government, in consultation with ulema, will formulate guidelines for the month of Ramazan, he added.

'Hope meeting reaches a consensus'

Earlier in the day, in a meeting with Chief Minister Sindh, Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman had said that he hoped that a meeting between various stakeholders on April 18 would reach a consensus, and a future road map would be drawn for congregational prayers.

The top cleric appealed to the masses and scholars to cooperate with the authorities tomorrow — as several people gather to offer the Friday prayer — and ensure that no unfortunate event takes place.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, a day earlier, had invited Mufti Muneeb to attend a meeting on April 18 where a joint decision over Friday prayers and Itikaf will be taken.

On Tuesday, Qadri, had urged ulema to develop consensus rather than take individual decisions. He said that clerics from all sects would be taken into confidence in the meeting on April 18.

'Mosques to no longer observe lockdown restrictions'

Ulema from various schools of thought held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday to declare that the lockdown will no longer be implemented at mosques.

Mufti Muneeb had said that Tarawih prayers and Itikaf would continue as per schedule. He had called on people coming to mosques to practice social distancing.

Meanwhile, Mufti Taqi Usmani had urged the government to not arrest people from within mosques. "All those who have been arrested [for coming to mosques] should be released," he said.

He had called on worshippers to wear masks and perform ablution at their homes before coming to the mosques. "Remove prayer mats from mosques and ensure sanitisers are available," he instructed mosque administrators.