Novel Coronavirus rears its ugly head in Sindh after having received Tablighi pilgrims In mid-March, 2020 at Raiwind, Lahore – annual five-day Tablighi Ijtama was held, hundreds of thousands people attended the event.
Tablighi Ijtama attended annual and then traveling to different part of the country for spreading their religious message. When other Muslim countries imposed restriction on religious activities like Iran that did not allow to hold Friday prayers and Saudi Arabia ordered to close Mosques to stem the spread of novel coronavirus.
In Pakistan, coronavirus cases had already been reported when Zaireen who traveled to Iran and entered Sindh by Taftan, Balochistan.
Balochistan and federal governments were reported to have neglected pilgrims [Zaireen]. Pilgrims were quarantined who came to Sindh and found out about being infected with the coronavirus.
According to Sindh health department data which showing pilgrims cases of COVID rise to more than 100.
However, provincial government struggled to slow down the cases by placing restriction on movement. It ordered to stop Friday prayers congregation, some clerics opposed it. Eventually, they came to an agreement with Sindh government. Again, some clerics violated an agreement. People attacked the police when policemen barred the Friday prayer congregation at Liaquatabad. The police arrested seven people who attacked policemen.
Tablighi Jamaat in Sindh:
Tablighi Jammat is a Deobandi sect – was established by Maulana Mohammad Ilyaz Kandhlawi in 1926. Tablighi Ijtama holds annual religious gathering [Tablighi Ijtama] and hundreds of thousands attendees joint it. Tablighis spread religious message to Muslims their group comprises of 8 to 10 men.
In Pakistan, they gathered to pray at annual five-day event in mid-march at Raiwand despite novel coronavirus concerns.
TJ [TJ stands for Tablighi Jamaat] completely swept aside Sindh government’s lockdown and followed its regular practice by sending groups to cities of Sindh and across the country.
Government asked citizens social distancing must be followed – but Tablighi Jammat whose group, is the cause of spreading the virus.
Zahid Gishokri reports for Geo that “”41 people at the Tableeghi Markaz in Lahore alone have tested positive till now,” a senior official associated with the National Command and Control Center (NCCC) told Geo.tv on the condition of anonymity. “We fear that nearly 10,000 more people in 60 cities may also have symptoms.” To trace the men, 5,200 teams — each comprising eight members — have been spread out across the country to comb through mosques.”
Aziz Bohio, is writer narrated TJ’s history of how it was established that in 1926 Tablighi Jamaat was a brainchild of then British Raj in India to giving religious colour to freedom movement. Since its establishment, they worked as messenger to the same extent its followers still do the same work.
“The will never abide by the law of provincial government. They follow the orders of Pakistan establishment,” Bohio says “TJ should have understood problem as world suffers. I do not understand why they turned down provincial government’s orders by not limiting their gatherings.”
Farooq Abbasi who is member of Tablighi Jammat member in Lahore, spoke to The Rise News that they had faith in Allah and termed virus as Azaab [persecution]. They would not stop going to Mosques and people should pray and beg to Allah for mercy.
When asked Saudi Arabia sealed mosques – were they not Muslims?
To question, he responded differently that neither Punjab government nor Tablighi Jamaat thought that an event would be turned into political issue. “We have firm belief in Allah and we do not have problem to spread our message to people – if authorities want us to stay indoors, we will respect their efforts to prevent COVID19 for some days,” says Farooq, “Everyone should be safe, irrespective of what you believe in.”
Tablighi Jamaat Cases in Sindh:
Sindh health department confirmed more than 70 Tablighis infected with the coronavirus. Religious groups were angered at why Tablighi Jamaat cases were reported on media. Conversely, the same groups did not show their reservation about Shias cases.
“We do not want to categorize cases on bases of religion. On Zarieen pilgrims, we categorized, but now, we have a policy – not to show people’s religion. Because, the virus attacks everyone,” says Atif Vighio media consultant, Sindh Health department. He refused to share data of how many people have been tested positive for the coronavirus after Tablighis arrived in Sindh.
Whereas Sindh Health Department’s twitter handler tweeted and mentioned: Zaireen and Raiwind
In Sehwan, the police arrested 35 Tablighis [people], 17 of them were quarantine, and other 18 Tablighis were sent to Isolation wards. Hyderabad city has confirmed more than 100 COVID19 cases from Tablighi Jamaat.
The Rise News acquired official data which showing how many Tablighi MaZrkaz turned into Isolation centers and how many Tablighis turned out, have been infected with the virus.
Tablighis whose numbers are 4107 in Sindh have been sent to Isolation centers and their Markaz 160 turned Isolation centers in 25 different cities of Sindh.
Information minister Syed Nasir Hussian Shah asked by his video message Tablighi Jamaat that “They should stay inside Markaz and follow government health advisory. Local administration will help them provide what they need.”
Zameer Ghumiro, Barrister and columnist criticized at central government that its actions were slow and did not want to place a lockdown across the country and helped Tablighis travelling to different cities of Pakistan.
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