Mosques truly following SOPs for congregations in Islamabad

Islamabad : The management bodies of the mosques across the federal capital are strictly abiding by the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during the prayer congregations as agreed between the government and Ulema to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Talking to APP, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat said majority of the mosques were following the government’s directives based on the SOPs by ensuring advised distance among the worshipers, cleaning of mosques and wearing the masks.

Appreciating the clerics for cooperating with the city administration, the deputy commissioner particularly descried Jamia Muhammadia of sector F-6/4 as the best of Islamabad’s all mosques in enforcing the guidelines.

It was pleasing to examine it. The enforcement of SOP was even better than that of our government offices.

He said the teams of the district administration were regularly checking the mosques and assistant commissioners concerned were supervising their respective teams.

Hamza Shafqat also contradicted a media report as concocted and baseless alleging that only the mosques in urban Islamabad were implementing the guidelines.

He said the police had not arrested Maulana Masood Alvi rather he was called to police station over violation of SOPs at his mosque.

To a question, Assistant Commissioner (Rural) said most part of rural sub division consisted of private housing societies and their management was cooperating with the city administration for enforcement of the SOPs.