In a country ruled by Islamic clerics, Pakistan isn’t faring so well with the coronavirus:
Pakistan has quarantined 20,000 attendees of an Islamic gathering in Lahore last month and is still searching for tens of thousands more, officials said on Sunday.Over 100,000 worshippers congregated at the event, defying government orders to call off the gathering amid coronavirus fears.
But how effective this quarantine will prove remains to be seen, especially given the fact that some clerics refuse to shut down mosques. Pious Muslims in Pakistan have been crowding into them, saying “we don’t believe in coronavirus, we believe in Allah.” This has earned Pakistan a reputation of being the “super-spreader” of coronavirus to the entire Muslim world.
“We can in no way close mosques … It is not possible in any circumstances in an Islamic country,” said Muneeb-bur-Rehman, a cleric who attended the meeting.
“Pakistan Scrambles to Quarantine 100,000 Who Attended Muslim Event,” by Gabrielle Reyes, Breitbart, April 7, 2020:
Pakistan has quarantined 20,000 attendees of an Islamic gathering in Lahore last month and is still searching for tens of thousands more, officials said on Sunday.
Over 100,000 worshippers congregated at the event, defying government orders to call off the gathering amid coronavirus fears.
Pakistan’s science minister, Fawad Chaudhry, reportedly expressed exasperation that the event had been held as planned. He blamed the “stubbornness of the clergy” for dismissing official orders to halt the large gathering. Organizers claimed to have cut the event short following advice from the authorities; however, at the time of the event, they said it was due to inclement weather.
The meeting took place between March 10-12 in Lahore, Pakistan’s capital. It was organized by Tablighi Jamaat, a global “Islamic missionary movement” with millions of followers, especially in South Asia. The far-reaching Sunni group promotes proselytizing, known as dakwah.
So far, officials have confirmed that at least 145 people were infected with the Chinese coronavirus from the event in March; two people have died. Authorities hope to test or quarantine attendees.
People from China, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Afghanistan also attended, which has resulted in about 1,500 foreigners now being quarantined in Pakistan. Others left the country without being tested…..
Boromir's Horn says
A little late isn’t it?
Ray Jarman says
+++++++1 As the old saying goes, they are a dollar short and a day late.
sweetolbob says
Pakistan:
You can quarantine them where you hid Bin Laden. They will be safe there.
Boromir's Horn says
Maybe they should build a wall
Terry Gain says
Remember WWJD? What would Jesus do? So now we have WWAT AHE. What would Allah think, assuming he exists.
sweetolbob says
Allahak (P’tooie) says they should go lick door knobs !
somehistory says
The moslims in government positions need to have a serious sit-down with the clerics, imams, “scholars,” mullahs, etc. as these latter ones encourage the moslim masses to congregate and spread the virus far and wide.
And, the word nazi in me is so tired of the word “amid.” Every story that has anything about the virus, uses that word. There are other ways to say it. Just venting a little. If the use of the word made islam cease to exist, I could handle it better. But it won’t make the filthy wild beast from satan go to destruction.
Roland says
The Tablighi Jamaat-sponsored mass rallies are demonstrations of Islamist power and efforts to destabilize the insufficiently Islamic governments of Pakistan and other countries. TJ creates a political and public health mess and the governments have to clean it up.
The_Truth_Will_Set_You_Free says
While I appreciate Breitbart writing about this event, which is under covered in the rest or the media, they lose credibility by making two basic errors in the same paragraph. Islamabad is Pakistan’s capital, not Lahore. Proselytizing for Islam is spelled dawah. not dakwah.
Another point I would explicitly bring up is how this event, and the reaction to it of Islamic leaders in Pakistan, is symbolic of the Islamic supremacist mindset. “We can in no way close mosques … It is not possible in any circumstances in an Islamic country.” The secular authorities are not to be listened to–Islam reigns supreme.
BTW, this is my first comment ever on Jihadwatch. I have been a reader for over 7 years.
AleX says
Congrats for your first comment posted.
Welcome aboard!
6woods says
So very cute. I posted for the first time maybe 4 years ago without any fanfare, not that I care. Was directed to this website indirectly; one link leads to another. Saw to my surprise that a close family member was posting here; had no clue previously, but recognized his very erudite language. He was banned for unpopular opinions. I’m not nearly as intelligent as he is, but I’m not stupid. I came upon this quite by accident, maybe serendipitously.
gravenimage says
Not everyone knows when a commenter first posts.
Here’s a very belated welcome to you!
Boromir's Horn says
Here Here
Anjuli Pandavar says
Congratulation! I look forward to reading your comments.
James Lincoln says
The_Truth_Will_Set_You_Free,
Welcome!
I was a reader of Jihad Watch for almost 2 years before I felt that I could post intelligently…
GreekEmpress says
I read for a long time too, before I posted. I don’t feel I have anything very profound to contribute, but I really learn a lot from the people that post here. And it gives me a place to vent a little once in a while!
somehistory says
One can never know the effect a simple comment will have on another person. The affected one may not reply, not knowing what to say, so it’s good to give your thoughts a chance to help another. Even if you never know about it.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Somehistory! I know that I have been affected by things people have said, sometimes years later–even if I dismissed them at the time. This was especially true when I was young and sometimes clueless.
James Lincoln says
I personally have learned an incredible amount and have been personally affected by not only the feature articles at Jihad Watch but also by the readers who comment.
Readers who post come from a variety of backgrounds. There are lawyers, college professors, physicians, engineers, blue-collar workers, etc., who provide an immense knowledge base.
I feel closer to them, who I unfortunately have never met, than I do to some members of my extended family.
Yes, we get the occasional “wingnut”, but those folks don’t last long after they are confronted with factual, evidence-based logic.
gravenimage says
Welcome, The_Truth_Will_Set_You_Free!
Martin says
Afghan nationals leaving Pakistan at the Torkham border gate on April 8 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH46LQveOJA
James Lincoln says
I was shocked to find at least one or two Afghan nationals not practicing social distancing…
John says
I’m sure that vast crowd of men racing through the border crossing were thoroughly checked for incendiary devices and bomb making equipment……….
don vito says
pakistan should model the swedish strategy with regard to dealing with the virus. Don’t lock down saracens.
peter says
If you are looking seriously look no further than your own mosques and the bed room of all pakistani politicians including Imran Khan and the army officers.
elee says
They believe the viruses are little soldiers of al Lah and that every Muslim should help al Lah deploy them. See Churchill’s words about their deeply stupid fatalism. Or just listen up to the imams whose statements get posted here.
tim gallagher says
Good to see this division in that backward, hardline Muslim area of darkness, Pakistan. So it seems that there are some at least slightly sensible people amongst the authorities there (who understand a bit about modern science and the need to quarantine people) and who don’t believe these primitive religious leaders who say that coronavirus can’t affect Muslims, who are supposedly immune to the virus if their faith is strong enough. Pakistan seems like such a hopeless, chaotic country from what we hear about it. Good to see these divisions on display in that country.
gravenimage says
Pakistan scrambles to quarantine 100,000 Muslims who attended a Muslim event last month
…………………..
Good luck with that, given how many pious Muslims have attacked police:
“India: Muslim mob attacks policemen, injuring three, after they stop mosque prayer over coronavirus”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2020/04/india-muslim-mob-attacks-policemen-injuring-three-after-they-stop-mosque-prayer-over-coronavirus
dubeye1 says
UAE to extend closure of mosques and places of worship until …
wabx.net/2020/04/09/uae-to-extend-closure-of…
2 days ago · April 09, 2020 01:47 pm CAIRO (Reuters) – United Arab Emirates decided on Thursday to extend the closure of mosques and places of worship until further notice, state news agency reported. The statement added this decision comes as part of the precautionary measures across UAE to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.