'Not applicable': Pak cleric says religious places will remain open; cites Imran Khan

Pakistan's prominent religious scholar and chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman on Tuesday said lockdown was t “applicable to mosques”, ding that arrangements would be me for Friday congregational prayers and tarawih in Ramazan.

In a video shared by Pakistani journalist Naila Inayat, Mufti Muneeb can be heard saying, "We want to give government a mess that mosques should t be closed" Speaking after a meeting of ulema at Karachi Press Club, Mufti Muneeb asked people coming to mosques to practice social distancing. "w, lockdown will t be applicable on mosques, Friday and Raman prayers will be held at mosques," he said.

' lockdown for mosques'

Ar cleric, Mufti Taqi Usmani instructed mosque ministrators to "Remove prayer mats from mosques and ensure sanitisers are available."

Lockdown in Pakistan extended

This comes after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday extended ongoing lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic until end of this month as total number of COVID-19 cases in country rose to 5,837. dressing reporters following National Coordination Committee meeting, Khan said that ongoing restrictions have helped contain spre of dely coronavirus.

It has been decided that lockdown will continue till April 30, he said. However, Khan said that some key industries would be opened in order to start business activities.

"Our estimate was that 190 people will die until today but so far we saw 96 deaths. spre of virus is just 30% of our projections," Khan said.

Meanwhile, as restrictions were placed on congregational prayers in mosques, more than 50 clerics belonging to different organisations, including some banned outfits, warned government t to furr place restrictions on prayer congregations.

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Despite government's pleas to observe social distancing, more than 53 senior clerics of Rawalpindi and Islamab, belonging to Wafaqul Maris al Arabia, held a meeting in Jamia Darul Uloom Zakria, Tarl, Islamab, according to report in Dawn news. meeting was attended by senior clerics representing various seminaries, banned groups, proscribed persons and political and n-political parties.

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Prime Minister Khan anunced to call a meeting of key clerics to chalk out plans as to how to use mosques in holy month of Raman which is set to start from April 25.

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(With PTI inputs)