Sardar Muhammad Yousaf chaired a consultative meeting at the Federal Ministry of Religious Affairs where participants agreed to begin implementation of uniform prayer times and azan in Rawalpindi and Islamabad soon. The ministry will issue an official calendar and move to phased enforcement to ensure smooth adoption across both cities.
The minister recalled that a previous attempt at unified timings had been halted after government changes, and said the current effort aims for consensus so the initiative can extend its positive effects to all provinces, including Gilgit Baltistan. The ministry is preparing draft legislation to support long-term implementation of uniform prayer times.
Federal Secretary Dr Sajid Mehmood Chauhan urged government offices and commercial centres to provide dedicated prayer and ablution spaces to facilitate congregational worship. He described the consensus reached at the meeting between scholars and traders as exemplary and said visible mosque-friendly arrangements in Islamabad will encourage other cities to follow.
Mufti Zameer Ahmad Sajid recommended a simple, phased approach to set a common azan and prayer schedule, beginning with Friday prayers and then extending to the remaining daily prayers so all communities can join willingly. The consultative group emphasized practicality and inclusivity in adopting the new timetable.
Central Traders’ Federation president Chaudhry Mohammad Kashif underscored the social benefits of congregational prayer, saying shops in Islamabad are ready to close voluntarily for prayer times and urged complementary legislation and broadcast of the five azans on electronic media. He called for a cooperative, voluntary atmosphere to make the plan successful.
Members of the system committee and senior religious scholars stressed that adopting uniform prayer times is a timely step toward unity and religious harmony. They asked that mosque funds held up for renovation be released immediately, and recommended allocating dedicated spaces for women to help increase attendance for congregational prayers.
The ministry said it will use the findings of the consultative meeting to design balanced, acceptable measures for the system of prayer, with the aim of strengthening unity and encouraging orderly congregational worship across Rawalpindi Islamabad and beyond.
