KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information and Religious Affairs Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that no official iftar party will be held in Ramazan this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The provincial information minister said in a statement that politicians belonging to the PPP would also not arrange any iftar party this year.

He said that the entire focus of the Sindh government during this Ramazan would be on protecting lives of the people.

He said that Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had instructed that the politicians who used to give iftar parties should spend the same money on purchasing ration and distribute it among the needy people affected by the lockdown.

He said all ministers of the Sindh government and members of the PPP in the provincial assembly would distribute rations in their respective constituencies during Ramazan.

Denies the allegation the doctors press conference was held on the backing of Sindh govt

Referring to the issues of the business community, Mr Shah said that a very detailed meeting had been held with representatives of traders and standard operating procedures regarding businesses were being finalised.

Commenting on closure of mosques and Taraweeh, Nasir Shah said that it was wrong to give the impression that the Sindh government talked about closing of mosques, adding that the government was requesting ulema to close mosques and ask the people to offer prayers at home during this Ramazan as a precautionary measure.

The provincial information minister said that because medical experts believed that there was a high risk of spreading of coronavirus in gatherings, therefore religious scholars were repeatedly being requested to take precautionary measures and ask the people to offer prayers at home.

“We humbly request our respected clerics and religious scholars to follow the government’s health advisory and tell the people to offer prayers at home during Ramazan,” he said.

No differences with centre

He clarified that the Sindh government had no differences with the federal government and the Sindh government wanted to coordinate and cooperate with the federal government in the time of pandemic, but when federal ministers and federal spokespersons make statements against the Sindh government only then they had to respond.

“The need of the hour is that we should work together as a nation and avoid making unnecessary statements against each other.

“Being Prime Minister of the country Imran Khan is very respectable for us, but if he makes any statement against the Sindh government, then we will clarify our position.”

He said that it was being said that the doctors held a press conference in Sindh on the backing of the Sindh government.

“If this is true, then will anyone tell who is behind the press conference of doctors in Punjab? Is that too done on the backing of Sindh government?” he asked.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2020