Lahore: Auqaf and Religious Affairs ministry has placed a ban on aitekaaf, sources have told media.

The ban has been placed due to the prevailing current wave of coronavirus pandemic. A notification to the effect has also been issued. 

Aitekaaf, or seclusion, is a religious ritual in which Muslims worship in solitude while staying in mosques in the last ten days of Ramadan. Most mosques in Pakistan make provisions for Aitekaaf. 

During the previous 24 hours, 146 patients lost their lives to the virus, with new cases rising dramatically every day. The country has placed strict restrictions on the populace, with markets closing on the weekend, all shops closed by 6 pm, restaurants restricted to just delivery and social gatherings banned.