District admin told to hold talks with Shia leaders over processions.

RAWALPINDI -- Urging people to be careful about the novel coronavirus during religious activities in Ramazan, the district administration and police have been directed to engage the Shia community to ensure safety measures during Youm-i-Ali congregations and processions.

The martyrdom of Hazrat Ali is observed by taking out processions and holding majalis on Ramazan 21.

Health and security officials consider Taraweeh, majalis and processions a risk during the Covid-19 pandemic and have asked all religious leaders to follow given guidelines.

In this regard, the home department has directed all divisional commissioners and divisional police chiefs to engage religious leaders of the Shia community and request them to forego the processions on the martyrdom day of Hazrat Ali this year due to the alarming spread of the coronavirus.

'Such gatherings are very risky during the pandemic and may cause uncontrolled spread of the virus,' the authorities said in a directive to the divisional administration.

Officials told to request them to forego processions on martyrdom day of Hazrat Ali due to alarming spread of coronavirus

They said the spread of coronavirus had assumed an alarming condition and the government had imposed a lockdown across the country.

It said though official events could be regulated and postponed by executing orders, religious events are somehow not so...