A decision has been taken to enforce uniform timings for the call to prayer and congregational prayers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad at the earliest.
According to details surfaced on Thursday, the move followed a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf, where scholars from all schools of thought reached consensus. Progress is also under way on a joint calendar and related legislation.
The consultative meeting reviewed the implementation of identical prayer schedules in both cities. Religious scholars agreed on a unified system, while representatives of traders announced the voluntary closure of shops at the time of the call to prayer.
The meeting also considered beginning uniformity with Friday prayer timings. The minister noted that a joint call to prayer and prayer calendar for Rawalpindi and Islamabad would be issued soon, and that the Ministry of Religious Affairs is working on the legal framework. Yousaf said that the effects of the prayer system would extend to all four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan.
