Mosques: SOPs violation (1).

APROPOS the editorial 'Weak virus strategy' (April 28). According to a survey, 80 per cent of mosques in Punjab and Islamabad did not implement the agreement reached between the government and ulema for congregational prayers, mostly pertaining to social distancing.

The police have let off the prayer leaders of several mosques in Lahore with warnings even after repeated violations. The excuse put forward by them was that standing shoulder to shoulder is sunnah.

Considering this 80pc violations to be the average for the country, then approximately 6.75million adult males were exposed to the virus during congregational prayers after excluding minorities (10pc), women (50pc), children and the elderly (25pc) and those following the standard operating procedures (20pc).

According to the statistics provided by medical experts during the last three months, one infected but asymptomatic person infects two to three persons, who in turn will infect others. Thus, the infection will go on multiplying exponentially. If there are X number of infected persons in a congregation, the spread of the virus will be multiplied by a factor of X.

Medical experts in the country are pleading that it is imperative to immediately...