PESHAWAR: The Home Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while finalizing guidelines for the gatherings of Ashura (10-day) of Muharram ul Haram, has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for strict compliance.
According to the KP Home Department, after Karachi, there were chances of Indian Delta variant of coronavirus spreading in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It said those participating in Muharram gatherings and processions, especially the Zakireen, must be vaccinated against coronavirus.
Majalis and processions of Muharram would pass through their conventional routes while the number of children and elderly people should be kept at minimum in these gatherings. People having symptoms of flu, cough and fever would not be allowed to join these Muharram gatherings.
The Department further decided that Muharram gatherings would be held at proper open spaces while the ground of Imambargahs would be marked to ensure social distancing of six feet among the participants. At entrance points of Imambargahs thermal scanning of all the participants would be conducted while availability of sanitizers and face masks would also be ensured.
According to the directives of the Home Department, prior to holding Majalis, the floors of the Imambargahs would be cleaned with chlorine while participants would be asked to avoid hand-shaking and hugging each other.