HUGE Tablighi Jamaat scare in Pakistan over 250,000-strong March congregation amid Covid

After the Nizamuddin Markaz congregation in India which led to the criticism of the Tablighi Jamaat, the Islamic missionary movement's management is now facing criticism for organising its annual mass assembly at Raiwind Markaz in Pakistan in March in the wake of the outbreak of Coronavirus.

Over 2,50,000 people participated in the event

According to a Dawn report, the Jamaat organised its annual mass assembly despite strong opposition by the Punjab province government. The outlet, citing a report by the Punjab Special Branch, stated that around 70,000-80,000 members of the organisation gathered to participate in a congregation on March 10. The Jamaat's management is claiming that over 2,50,000 people participated in its annual event.

The congregation was also attended by 3000 people who had arrived from 40 countries and who could not go back because Pakistan halted all international flights due to worsening pandemic situation. The Jamaat has been criticized in India and Malaysia after several of its members tested positive for COVID-19 leading to a surge in a number of cases. So far, Pakistan has reported 4196 confirmed positive cases of coronavirus and 60 deaths in the country have been linked to the deadly infection.

The virus had already adversely affected several countries when its spread began to show presence in Pakistan last month. The Dawn reported that Raiwind city with a population of around two lakh has been completely locked down after several hundred members of Jamaat tested positive. Around 10,263 people who attended the gathering last month have been quarantined in 36 districts of Punjab with the search on for thousands of other participants.

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Of the 539 members of the Tableeghi Jamaat who tested positive for the virus so far, the highest number of cases has been reported from Raiwind Markaz -- 404. As the Jamaat continued to ignore the instructions, authorities engaged the top administration officials of the organisation and after several meetings, the six-day event was cut short to three days.

The health department of Punjab has criticised the organisation for its "carelessness" and blamed it for the rising cases in the province. Health officials blamed rising cases on the "carelessness" of the Jamaat members "who keep on meeting the public as a part of their preaching after their return to the areas they belonged to."

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(With ANI inputs) (Image credits: Facebook/@raiwindtableegemarkaz)