Daily Times

The Ulema and Mashaikh on Wednesday expressed their satisfaction over the composition of corona vaccine registered in Pakistan and endorsed the view of health experts, calling for vaccination to check the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The protection of lives and health of the masses is one of the objectives of religion and Shariah. Since corona is an epidemic, making arrangements to control and treat it is not only a demand of the Shariah but an order,” a joint statement issued after an important consultative meeting of esteemed Ulema and Mashaikh from across the country with President Dr. Arif Alvi here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, said.

Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri and Islamic Ideology Council (IIC) Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz were also present in the meeting, which was attended through video-link by governors of Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan as well as Ulema from the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and GB.

Speaking on the occasion, President Alvi shared the contents of the joint statement and said encouraging the masses for vaccination against the coronavirus was the duty of Ulema and Mashaikh.

The vaccination of masses in the highest number would help check the pandemic effectively, he added.

The president said the vaccination of people would also help the country move forward with socio-economic activities, especially the work of labourers in industries and factories in a better way.

According to the joint statement, he said, in order to encourage the people for vaccination, Ulema and Mashaikh would effectively raise their voice from mosques, Imambargahs, Khanqahs and Madaris.

The president said on the coming Juma Al Mubarik (June 4), Ulema in their sermons would specially urge the people to get them vaccinated, and would continue to make such announcements in future.

Besides, he said, the Ulema and Mashaikh also had an important role in creating awareness about inheritance laws as per religion, and the importance of mother-feeding, which could help check the issue of stunting growth.

President Alvi thanked the Ulema and Mashaikh for continued cooperation in matters of national and religious importance. He said after the blessings of Allah Almighty, it was the cooperation of Ulema, media, government’s policies and the guidelines of National Command and Control Center (NCOC) due to which the situation of coronavirus in Pakistan was much better when compared with other countries.