NCOC issues guidelines for Rabiul Awwal celebrations

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday issued guidelines to be adopted during Seerat-un-Nabi (PBUH) conferences and other religious activities in the month of Rabi ul Awal amid the fourth COVID-19 wave in the country, ARY News reported.

The NCOC meeting, headed by the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, urged organisations concerned to strictly implement the coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) throughout the Rabi ul Awwal month.

All religious events will be held while following COVID SOPs with strict adherence to social distancing, face masks, and thermal screening restrictions.

According to the SOPs defined by the NCOC, the venues of milads and other religious events should be open and spacious where a six-feet distance in the seating arrangement must be ensured.

The local administration and volunteers will help in the implementation of the SOPs, according to a statement issued by NCOC.

The forum decided that only government-approved rallies and events will be allowed while it has been made mandatory for the scholars and Naat reciters to be fully vaccinated before attending Rabi ul Awal events.

The NCOC also directed people to avoid physical contact with sacred objects.

The crescent of Rabi-ul-Awwal 1443 AH, the third month of the Islamic Lunar Year, was sighted in Pakistan on October 7 and the Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) would fall on October 19 (Tuesday).

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, headed by Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, convened its meeting on Thursday evening to sight Rabi-ul-Awwal moon.