KARACHI: Sindh High Court hearing a petition demanding the resumption of Friday prayer congregations upheld the local government’s decisions to suspend the religious practice till the threat of coronavirus looms. The court ruled in the favour of Sindh Government and the petition was discarded based on various rulings by preeminent religious scholars from around the globe who had given conclusive Fatwas on the predicament. The court in its ruling said that the suspension in such treacherous times was the need of the hour, a necessity. The court also said that the decision undertaken by the government and the suspension of prayer congregations was 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. Sindh will remain under complete lockdown on Friday from 12 noon to 3:00pm as a measure to contain spread of coronavirus. According to the home department, a complete lockdown for three hours will be imposed today during the timings of Friday prayers, however, the orders will not apply to the private hospitals. The department has also warned strict action against the persons involved in the violation of the restrictions. It is pertinent to mention here that the provincial had banned all kinds of public and religious gatherings across Sindh to curb spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
