Pak cleric, 6 others booked for violating govt order

A case has been registered against Pakistani cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz and six others for disobeying a government order imposed against prayer congregations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it was reported on Sunday.

According to the police, Aziz gathered people at Islamabad's famous Lal Masjid for Friday prayers despite a ban on prayer congregations imposed by the Pakistan government, reports Dawn news, adding that he provoked the sentiments of people.

The police said that officials deployed around the mosque informed the cleric of the ban on prayer congregations and the misuse of loudspeakers, but he ignored.

Around 400 people gathered at the mosque.

A police officer told Dawn news that no arrests have been made in the case so far.

The capital administration has asked the police to compile data on mosques, the person who delivers the sermon during Friday prayers and imams who violated the ban.

So far, a total of 121 cases disobeying the administration's order have been registered in the capital since the lockdown was announced, police said.

Some 424 people have been booked and arrested for violating the ban on various activities imposed to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

Pakistan has so far reported 2,879 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 44 deaths.