Pak's Sindh govt bans congregational prayers during Ramazan due to COVID-19

Pakistan's Sindh provincial government on Friday put a ban on organising congregational prayers during the holy month of Ramazan due to the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic, notwithstanding the federal government's order.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that in a bid to contain the virus, Taraweeh prayers during Ramazan will be restricted to 3-5 persons and the rest of the people could offer the prayers at home.

In a video message, Shah said he has taken this very difficult decision after consulting President Arif Alvi.

Alvi, after meeting top religious scholars and clerics, had announced that Friday and Taraweeh congregations would be allowed in Mosques subject to certain precautionary measures.

Shah said the decision was taken on the advice of doctors who have repeatedly cautioned that congregational prayers in mosques are not advisable and could lead to a surge in coronavirus cases.

The doctors, in a press conference here, warned that frontline healthcare workers will be helpless against the rapid spread of COVID-19 if large gatherings including congregational prayers are allowed as it could lead to a collapse of the healthcare system.

Alvi said that the federal government's decision to allow congregational prayers is "not completely firm" and can be altered according to the prevailing conditions.

Soon after an agreement was reached between the central government and religious scholars for prayer congregations, top doctors from abroad and in Pakistan said it would be disastrous for Pakistan.

The doctors said any relaxation in the lockdown will cause a spike in COVID-19 cases that would cripple the country's already fragile healthcare system.

They said that the strict lockdown in Sindh, enforced by the provincial government, has "now become a joke just like in the rest of the country.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, 13 more patients died due to the novel coronavirus on Friday, taking the death toll to 237.

More than 11,000 people have been infected, health officials said.