Daily Times

A woman police officer was injured after being pelted with stones when police tried to stop a large number of people from offering Friday prayers at a mosque in Karachi, a private TV channel reported.

The incident took place in Orangi Town when police came under attack after attempting to stop a large number of people from offering Friday prayers in a mosque over violation of Section 144. The police contingent came under attack and were pelted with stones. The situation was brought under control when an additional contingent of police and Rangers arrived at the scene. SSP South told the TV channel that action will be taken against those who attacked the police contingent.

As the number of coronavirus cases continue to rise throughout Pakistan, the Sindh government has banned more than five persons [Imam, Muazzin and other management] from offering prayers in the mosque. A complete ban on the movement of people and activities from 12:00pm to 3:30pm for Fridays only has also been imposed by the provincial government in order to ensure that people do not assemble in mosques and spread the infection. The Pakistan Ulema Council has also urged the public to offer prayers inside their homes and heed the warnings as well as safety precautions being issued by the government.

The court in its ruling said that the suspension in such treacherous times is the need of the hour. It also said that the decision taken by the government and the suspension of prayer congregations is all being done to practice maximum precaution against the deadly coronavirus and minimize its spread and consequential loss of life in some cases. Islam allows unprecedented measures to be undertaken when situations of life and death arise, said Sindh High Court’s ruling on the matter.