Ramadan is going to end soon and my recommendation may be taken next year if the government machinery and private businessman agree with me. I would like to say that office timings in Ramadan should not be changed so drastically but should be shortened slightly. The spirit of Ramadan is to fast, and continue to do your normal daily work, but in Pakistan the office timings are changed. Most of the government offices work from 8am to 2pm. I feel that in an under-developed country like ours, we need to put in more hard work rather than shy away from work, be it Ramadan or not!
Most of the working class performs their Zohar prayers in the office, which should be performed on their own time, and not on the government’s time or an employee’s time. There is no doubt that Islam is about practicing religion, but it is also about performing your duties.I hope, next time when Ramadan timing is fixed, the concerned authority would keep this in mind.My request would be to reconsider the Ramadan timing from 9am to 4am with one hour’s prayer break.
SYED SAYEF HUSSAIN,
Karachi, July 24.