ISLAMABAD/ rawAlpindi: The capital administration on Tuesday closed all shrines, gyms, swimming pools and children’s play areas for three weeks while the Christian and Hindu communities in Rawalpindi announced that their churches and temples would be closed for mass prayers.

A notification issued from the office of the district magistrate of Islamabad said in the wake of the impending coronavirus alert the competent authority had decided to close shrines - also called darbars and dargahs - as well as gyms, physical training camps, swimming pools and play areas for three weeks.

“We stopped people from coming to the Krishna Temple in Rawalpindi for prayers to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. The temple will also close to visitors who come here for temporary stay,” the temple’s priest Jai Ram told Dawn.

He said the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had advised the organising committee of the temple to take the precautionary measure in view of the spread of the novel coronavirus across the world, including in Pakistan.

The weekly prayer, Puja, will be held as per routine but gatherings of three and more people have been stopped.

Christian and Hindu communities in Rawalpindi suspend mass prayers as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus

“There is no ban on individuals to come to the temple for Puja,” he added.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Anwarul Haq has asked the Christian community not to hold mass congregations in churches.

Earlier, Islamabad District Magistrate Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat met with shrine caretakers and administrations and sought their cooperation in ensuring precautionary measures are taken.

Mr Shafqaat said services available at Bari Imam and Golra shrines, including the distribution of free food and residential facilities for pilgrims, have also been suspended for three weeks.

Between 20,000 and 25,000 people visit the two shrines daily, he said.

In Rawalpindi, Christian community leaders including Pastor Adil Gill, Priest Zanuck David, Pastor Samson Bhatti and Johnson Bhatti, at a meeting with the deputy commissioner said they would play their role to avoid the spread of the virus.

They assured the district administration that no congregation would be held in the city and cantonment areas.

The deputy commissioner informed the Christian clergy officials of the efforts made by the government and requested them not to hold prayers in churches.

He also said there was no proposal to close markets.

However, a campaign has been launched by the administration to ensure the presence of hand sanitiser, face masks and edibles at reasonable prices.

Meanwhile, three teams of police have been formed to work at the command and control centre established at the committee room at Police Lines Headquarters in Islamabad, the police said.

As per an order issued from the office of the senior superintendent of the police (SSP) headquarters, each team comprises three officials and will work at the centre in three shifts.

The team will collect information regarding screening or reported cases of infected police officials and will submit a report to the SSP on a shift basis.

Scanning of police officials has also started at Police Lines, the police said, adding that SSP headquarters, operations, security, traffic and the Counter Terrorism Force along with in-charges of the investigation wing, and Special Branch were scanning officials from their divisions and wings.

As many as 1,000 policemen at the Police Lines Headquarters had their temperatures checked on Tuesday. A police official was sent to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences from Police Lines but tested negative for the virus.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2020