Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman hopes for ‘unanimity’ in Saturday’s meeting between ulemas, President Alvi – Pakistan

Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, chairman of the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee and head of the board of mothers of the Barelvi school of thought on Thursday expressed hope that a "unanimous formula" could be prepared at the meeting on Saturday between President Arif Alvi and prominent religious scholars from across the country.

The president will meet with prominent ulema and religious academics from across Pakistan on April 18 to discuss opening mosques for worship and congregational prayers during Ramazan and finalizing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for mosques.

After a meeting with Sindh Prime Minister Murad Ali Shah on Thursday night, Rehman said that Shah and the provincial ministers also expressed hope that a unified decision could be made on Saturday on which the Ulema would agree and the government would comply.

"It will be better for our country, our state, our nation," he said.

Speaking about congregational prayers on Friday, the prime minister said he would instruct police that there should be no rigor inside mosques on Friday. However, all movement would remain suspended from 12 p.m. at 3 p.m. and only three or five people related to the administration of the mosque could pray inside.

Shah also said he had assured the prime minister that the provincial government would follow any SOP the federal government decided on.

Previously, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-religious Harmony, Noorul Haq Qadri, met with Sajjada Nasheens from great shrines across the country in an effort to reach consensus before the meeting.

At a meeting held in Rawalpindi's Eidgah Sharif field, the Sajjada Nasheens expressed their support for the government's measures to curb the spread of Covid-19. However, they demanded that the government, along with the issuance of guidelines for preventive measures, also allow worship in mosques during Ramazan.

The minister of religious affairs also contacted the chiefs of madaris, the Punjab Ulema Board and members of the Council of Islamic Ideology and invited them to participate in Saturday's meeting at the President's House.

A meeting of leading religious scholars in Karachi on Tuesday concluded that the government-imposed blockade to curb the spread of the coronavirus "does not apply to mosques."

Calling congregational prayers a "necessity," a statement released after the meeting said it was important to continue the prayers while observing precautionary measures.

The meeting called for the resumption of all congregational prayers, including five daily prayers and Friday prayers, calling the government's orders to allow three to five people for congregations to be "impractical."

The statement urged older people, people affected by the virus, or those caring for virus patients not to come to the mosque.