Meeting held to prepare SOPs for Eidul Azha.

ISLAMABAD -- Religious scholars, health experts and ofhcials have said that the post-Eidul Azha period could be more serious than the post-Eidul Fitr period vis-a-vis the coronavirus pandemic if people don`t take the required precautions.

A meeting for consultation with ulema, representatives of religious parties and major entities that collect hides and skins of sacrificial animals was held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Saturday to formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs)aimed to ward off new infections.

The meeting held via video link was chaired by federal Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri and also attended by Interior Minister retired Brig Ejaz Shah, Special Assistant to the PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza and representatives of provincial governments.

The ulema attending the meeting included Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, Qari Hanif Jalandhari, Mufti Taqi Usmani and Allama Amin Shaheedi.

The cabinet members attending the meeting said the already serious situation could worsen if the virus spread rapidly from urban areas to rural areas of the country through people visiting various cities and towns to sell sacrificial animals.

Dr Mirza said that Pakistan was...