ISLAMABAD — Pakistanis on Saturday celebrated the country’s first day of the holy month of Ramadan by flocking to mosques and markets, ignoring advice to stay home as coronavirus cases rise. ADVERTISEMENTHis government also caved to religious pressure, allowing daily prayers and evening congregations at mosques during Ramadan, albeit with some protective measures in place. At Islamabad’s mosques, worshippers were thinner on the ground than typical for Ramadan’s first day, but elsewhere social distancing guidelines and a ban on older worshippers were widely ignored. Zafar Mirza, the prime minister’s special advisor for health, decried the rush to the markets and pleaded with people to stay home. The World Health Organization has warned that without effective interventions, Pakistan cases could soar to 200,000 cases by mid-July.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer April 26, 2020 02:51 UTC