In a major decision by J&K administration, all religious places — including shrines, mosques, churches and temples — will reopen in the Union Territory from August 16 after remaining closed for over four months in view of COVID-19 pandemic
J&K Principal Secretary Power and Information Rohit Kansal on Tuesday said that all religious places and places of worship will open in J&K from August 16, 2020
However, he said religious processions and large religious gatherings remained strictly prohibited in the UT.Authorities and religious organizations announced closure of all mosques and shrines in J&K in view of the outbreak of COVID-19 in March this year. The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMEU), an organization of different religious bodies, headed by incarcerated Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, had appealed to people not to hold any congregational prayers in the wake of pandemic. Following this, prayers in major mosques and shrines remained suspended for 21 consecutive weeks on Tuesday due to restrictions on religious gatherings to prevent spread of COVID-19 in the valley.No congregational Shab-e-Qadar prayers were offered in any mosque in the valley. No prayers were offered on Jamat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy fasting month Ramzan, in the valley, where Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha prayers were offered by people in their respective houses.