Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board on Saturday announced suspension of regular prayers at the mosques and shrines affiliated to it in the Valley as a preventive measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
“…it is hereby ordered to suspend regular prayers in shrines/mosques affiliated with the Waqf Board and displaying of the Holy Relic on the occasion of Mehrai-ul-Alam celebrations,” the board said in an order.
The decision to suspend the prayers was taken as a preventive measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the Kashmir valley and in view of the imposition of restrictions under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) by various district administrations, the board said.
Meanwhile, strict restrictions on movement and assembly of people continued once again on Saturday in Kashmir to contain the spread of the new coronavirus that has infected one person in the Valley.
Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed and barricades have been put up at several places in Srinagar. Only government and essential services employees with valid identity cards, media-persons, and people with health emergency were allowed to move on streets, officials said.
Police asked people to stay indoors and maintain social distancing through public address systems.
Most markets across the Valley were shut, public transport was off roads and train services were suspended. Educational institutes and public places such as gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants have been shut down.
The measures have been taken after a 67-year-old woman from Khanyar area of Srinagar, who returned to the city on March 16 from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, tested positive for COVID-19.
