ISLAMABAD, 25 March 2020, TON: In an important development, Ulema from Rawalpindi and Lahore are not ready to accept that Ulemah from Egypt have issued any Fatwa regarding cancellation of Friday prayers and other congregational prayers at Mosques.  They said, “it is misleading statement, being attributed to have said by President Alvi that Islamic countries Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Palestine, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt have already suspended congregational prayers.”
It is important to mention here that Surat-e-Jumma Ayat No 9 and 10 orders. “O people who believe! When there is call for prayes (Azzan) on the day of Jumma  (Friday), then proceed to the remembrance of Almighty Allah and close trading. That is better for you, if you only knew. And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah in abundance so that you may succeed. It is added that the Preamble and Article 2A of the Constitution of Pakistan provides, “Wherein the Muslims shall be enabled to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.”

As reported by APP President Dr Arif Alvi of Islamic Republic of Pakistan requested Al-Azhar Egypt, an authority on Islamic injunctions, permitting suspension of Friday prayers to control the spread of deadly coronavirus in the country. It has been claimed that Al-Azhar has issued a Fatwa on the request of President Alvi permitting suspension of Friday prayers.

Pakistani President said in a tweet on Wednesday, “I am thankful to Grand Imam Shaikh of Al Azhar and Supreme Council for responding to my personal request to provide guidance to us with regard to Farz Jamaat & Juma prayers in mosques during coronavirus attack.”
The president urged the Ulema in the country for urgent action on the Fatwa of Egypt’s Al-Azhar institution that termed it purely Islamic to cancel Friday prayers over coronavirus concerns.
The Fatwa stressed that public gatherings, including congregational prayers at mosques, could result in spread of coronavirus and the governments of Muslim countries had full jurisdiction to cancel such events. It also emphasized amending Azaan (call to prayer) with words ‘Salaat Fi Buyut-e-Kum’, meaning ‘pray in your homes’ instead of the usual ‘come to prayer. 

KABUL: 26 people died and 8 wounded on Wednesday, 25 March 2020, as a Sikh as unidentified militant carried out early morning bomb attack at religious complex in the Afghan capital of Kabul, witness at the site of bombing said. Afghan government claims that all the attackers were killed by the Afghan security forces. 

Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian said 25 people who had been in the religious compound had been killed, eight wounded and 80 rescued while all of the attackers have been killed. A Taliban spokesman, in a message on Twitter, denied responsibility for the attack. Otherwise, Taliban and Sikhs enjoy cordial relations. 

Narender Singh Khalsa, a member of parliament who represents the Sikh community said “Three suicide bombers entered a Dharamsala and started their attack at a time when the Dharamsala jam-packed.”  Sikhs are a small religious minority in Afghanistan with numbers fewer than 300 families.

Pakistan Foreign Office strongly condemned the ‘heinous terrorist attack’ on Gurdwara, “Such despicable attacks have no political, religious or moral justification and must be rejected outright,” Official statement issued by Islamabad said, “Our hearts go out to the families who have lost their loved ones in this inhuman act and we pray for the swiftest recovery of the injured. We also express our abiding solidarity with the fraternal people of Afghanistan.”

If we recall, New Delhi was aggrieved over the Sikh’s protests in foreign countries and campaign against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Amendment in Citizen Act. One of the Sikh woman who lost her husband blamed Indian Embassy at Kabul.

JUBA, 25 March 2020, TON: Sudan's Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Jamaleldin Omar died of in a mysterious condition in South Sudan, where he was holding peace negotiations between the government and  Dafur militant groups in Juba.

The Sudanese Army authorities said, General Omar was a member of the Sovereign Council that took power under a 39-month power-sharing deal with a civilian government after the toppling of former president Omar al-Bashir. It is being said that he suffered a heart attack.

The joint political and security arrangement was established with the support of the African Union to implement the security arrangements agrees on 27 September 2012 particularly preventing cross borders attack by militant groups.

RIYADH, 24 March 2020, TON:  Minister of Education Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, in the presence of Minister of Commerce and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, and Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, inspected the Virtual School Content Production Center in Riyadh that serves distantly 6 million students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period of the schools suspension.
At the outset of the inspection tour, the ministers were briefed on the services of the virtual school through a documentary film that tells the story of distance education in the public education, the educational operations that take place by the efforts of teachers and supervisors in preparing the educational content for the daily lessons according to the study plan, and transferring them directly through 20 channels of IEN educational channels. They were also briefed on the statistics and numbers of distance education in public and university education since the decision of schools suspension.
At the end of the inspection tour, the Minister of Education explained that after 10 hours of the announcement of the schools suspension, the Ministry shifted from an educational system dependent on the attendance of students to another educational system dependent on the option of distance education, stressing that this transformation was not easy, but the Ministry was able to serve 6 million students in the public education within hours, and about 1 million and 600,000 students in the universities sector through technical platforms and programs.
The Acting Minister of Media praised the great efforts exerted by those responsible for the virtual school with the support and guidance of the Minister of Education, as well as the efforts of teachers and their dedication to deliver the education message without stopping, stressing the role of every mother and father in supporting their sons and daughters to continue their studies distantly.
He affirmed that the Coronavirus crisis has created a united team capable of achieving an educational achievement that we are proud of.
Then, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology said that the digital infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is solid today with the support and directives of the leadership, adding that the rate of internet access has exceeded 94 percent.
He affirmed that these numbers come with a support of a network of optical fibers, which reaches today to 3,500,000 houses.

NEW DELHI, 24 March 2020, TON: After the release of Farooq Abdullah father of  National Conference (NC) vice-president and former puppet Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Tuesday 24 March Indian Government released Omar Abdullah after detention of 232 days in preventative detention. Omar Abdullah was booked under Public Safety Act (PSA).

The development comes days after the Supreme Court asked the government to informt whether it was considering releasing Omar Abdullah, or else it would hear a plea by his sister. Syed Ali Geelani, Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, Yasin Malik, Mehbooba Mufti and other leaders were detained on 5 August 2019, the day the New Delhi withdrew special status of the disputed state of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir State.

ISLAMABAD, 24 March 2020,TON (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday announced a relief package aimed at providing financial support to the different sectors of economy affected by the economic slowdown unleashed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) all over the globe. Government has decided to allocate Rs 200 billion for the labour class, which had been hit hard in the difficult times. To help the industrial sector and especially the export sector, it was decided to release tax refunds amounting to Rs 100 billion, besides, deferring of the interest payment to bolster this sector.

For the small and medium industry, and agriculture sector, another amount of Rs 100 billion was set aside with deferred interest payment. In addition, concessional loans would also being extended to the sectors to bring down the input costs for the farmers. Other packages included additional amount of 50 billion for the Utility Stores, Rs 280 billion for the wheat procurement, slashing of petrol and diesel prices by Rs 15 per liter for which the government would have to bear the burden of Rs 75 billion. An amount of Rs 100 billion was allocated separately for the emergency situation. A sum of Rs 50 billion was also allocated for the medical staff. The National Disaster Management Authority would get Rs 25 billion for purchase and procuring of kits. It was also announced that for the vulnerable families who were bearing the brunt of the difficult time an amount of Rs 150 billion for a period of four months was allocated.

WASHINGTON, 23 March 2020, TON: The Spokeswoman of the US Department of State Morgan Ortagus has strongly refuted Iranian leader Khamenei's repetition of allegations that the United States created the coronavirus "Wuhan Virus" (SARS-CoV-2). On 23 March 2020, in a speech broadcast live to the Iranian nation, Khamenei turned down the United States' offer of help in dealing with the coronavirus epidemic in Iran including sending medicines to fight the outbreak. Khamenei said to US, "Use what you have for your own patients." Khamenei also said Iran could not trust the US because they could be giving medicines that spread the virus or cause it to remain and alleged that a section of the virus was created to match the genes of Iranians. In a tweet on, Morgan Ortagus quoted a tweet from Khamenei's account to the same effect and said the "conspiracy theories about the Wuhan Virus" by Khamenei are harmful, irresponsible, and 100 percent false.

RAWALPINDI, 23 March 2020, TON: Special Corps Commanders’ Conference on COVID-19 was held through video link on evening 22 March 2020. Chaired by General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), the Corps Commanders participated in the conference through video link from respective Corps Headquarters. The conference deliberated Pakistan Army’s readiness to assist civil administration to contain the pandemic. The COAS placed
all available troops and Armed Forces medical resources to be prepared to assist civil administration on short notice with regard to COVID-19. The plan of action has, however, not been shared.
 In Punjab, Pakistan Army is being called to assist civil administration in tackling Coronavirus challenge, said Punjab’s Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday.

TOKYO, 23 March 2020, TON: Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday said a postponement of Tokyo Olympics would be unavoidable if the Games cannot be held in a complete way because of the coronavirus pandemic.

He was commenting on the International Olympic Committee's plan to examine the situation over the next few weeks and make a decision, which could include the option to postpone.

Prime Minister Abe hoped the IOC will make a decision early if it is postponed, because the process would involve a lot of work and should start soon.

MONTEVIDEO, 23 March 2020, TON: Panic over the spread of the coronavirus sparked unrest in a prison in Colombia that resulted in riot killing 23 inmates on Sunday. The authorities rejected accusations by rights groups that the riots were sparked by unsanitary conditions inside a prison system that was woefully unprepared to face the pandemic.

As per the details, the Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalic announced restrictions on movement and complete curfew in Chile on 23 March 2020. As the news spread overnight about virus in the penitentiary system, rioting started inside the crowded jail in the Colombian capital Bogota. However, Justice Minister Margarita Cabello described the violence as an attempted mass breakout, part of what she said was a coordinated plan with inmates who caused disturbances in 13 jails across the country.