Gujranwala/Karachi: Four prayer leaders in Pakisstan were arrested by law enforcement agencies and police on violation of Friday prayers code at Gakhar Mandi.

The Punjab government had directed all the mosques to be locked for Juma prayer and general prayers for five times except only for five people, including the caller for prayer (muezzin) and prayer leader (imam), who would be allowed to perform prayers. The law enforcement agencies and police checked the mosques and arrested four prayer leaders in the Gakhar Mandi area on violation of directions. Those arrested are Allama Muhammad Abbas Rizvi, the prayer leader of Jamia Masjid Noora, Qari Muhammad Sabir of Jamia Masjid Ghausia Rizvia in Mohalla Noorpura, Qari Muhammad Mazhar of Jamia Masjid Gulzar-i-Madina in Mohallah Karimabad and Qari Muhammad Usman of Jamia Mashid Kareemabad.

Cases have been registered against them while a prayer leader managed to escape, Dawn reported.

Police in Karachi registered 88 First Information Reports (FIRs) and detained 38 prayer leaders on Friday for violating the Sindh government's restrictions on congregational prayers, it emerged on Saturday.

A day earlier, the provincial government had announced that citizens would not be allowed to offer congregational prayers ⁠— including Friday prayers ⁠— in mosques until April 5 to control the spread of Covid-19.

A senior police officer said that prayer leaders from all schools of thought allegedly violated the ban on congregational prayers, including those whose religious leaders had publicly supported the government's decision.

However, he added that thin attendance was witnessed in the city's mosques on Friday with 100-150 worshippers offering prayers, barring the New Memon Masjid in Bolton Market where 500 people offered the Friday prayers.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government also arrested five prayer leaders for violating similar restrictions in the province.