Mourning processions.

MOST experts are of the firm view that social distancing and avoiding large crowds is the best way to keep the coronavirus at bay. However, this sage advice has fallen on deaf ears in some countries, Pakistan included. Despite fervent appeals by medical experts, people have failed to practise social distancing and are treating Covid-19 as just another illness. This has had an obvious impact with cases crossing the 28,000 mark, and more than 600 deaths in the country. Unfortunately, many clerical elements in Pakistan have also reacted emotionally, and instead of counselling their flock to pray at home have insisted that congregational prayers at mosques continue. While doctors and health experts had advised against allowing large communal prayers, the state caved in to the clerics and gave the green light for congregational prayers, including taraweeh during Ramazan. Now the majority of Shia clergymen in the country insist that the mourning processions to mark Yaum-i-Ali, which falls on Friday, will go ahead. A delegation of Shia ulema met the federal religious affairs minister on Friday in Islamabad and said the processions will be taken out. Although the...