HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court has issued notices to federal and Sindh government, Ruet-i-Hilal Committee chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman and others to appear in court on April 29 on a constitutional petition, challenging ban on offering prayers in mosques by provincial government.

Lawyers Shakeel Ahmed Zai and Noorul Amin Sipyo had filed a joint petition in the court the other day which ordered issuance of pre-admission notices subject to maintainability of the petition.

The petitioners said that on March 22, RHC chairman Mufti Muneeb, Sindh chief minister and chief secretary took steps to enforce lockdown on entire Sindh and respondent authorities also imposed ban on offering of prayers in mosques, which was a violation of constitution and Quran and Sunnah.

They said that no law could be passed which was contrary to fundamental teachings of Islam. The federal and provincial governments were not on the same page over the lockdown and Friday congregations were being held in other provinces but were banned in Sindh, they said.

They said that vegetables, meat and other markets, milk and dairy shops were functioning without any safety measures against coronavirus where many people gathered to purchase groceries and other commodities but people could not offer five times’ prayers and Friday prayers in mosques.

They requested the court to suspend the notification dated April 2, regarding ban on daily prayers in mosques and said the respondents should be directed not to close mosques or restrain general public from offering prayers.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2020