Police issue notices to 450 mosques for ignoring SOPs in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: Over 450 mosques and imambargahs in the Rawalpindi have been served notices by the Rawalpindi police for not implementing the guidelines completely.

According to sources, the monitoring committee to oversee the implementation of 20-point guidelines for worship places in the Rawalpindi division has reported disregard of standard operational procedures (SOPs) by 250 mosques.

Sources further said the monitoring committee set up the Rawalpindi district administration issued a report after conducting surveys of the worship sites and had declared sensitive in terms of security and COVID-19 spread.

The panel comprising religious scholars, traders, citizens and government officials stated that several mosques in Rawalpindi were only partially following the SOPs devised to limit the spread of COVID-19.

In the list of sensitive sites, 129 are located in Chakwal district, the highest in the division, some 61 in Rawalpindi, 42 in Jhelum and 18 in Attock district.

Some 52 mosques in the different parts of the division allowed elderly people and children to join Taraweeh prayers, according to the report.

It stated that a total of 79 worship places in the division had poor or no security arrangements at all.

Earlier, President Dr. Arif Alvi had said that a 20-point strategy has been agreed upon for people and mosques to follow during the holy month of Ramazan.

Addressing a press conference, after meeting with Ulema, President Alvi said that it was necessary to consult with religious leaders before taking any decisions regarding Ramazan.

The President had asserted that the 20-point strategy, based on precautionary measures, was formulated in consensus with religious leaders and provincial governments to halt the spread of coronavirus.