RAUTAHAT: As many as nine Pakistani Muslim preachers have been staying in quarantine at a local masjid in Rauthat district in the wake of coronavirus crisis in Nepal.

A nine-member team, who landed in Nepal last month from Pakistan with the objective of preaching their religion to native people visited many districts before arriving in Rautahat district, has been staying at a local masjid in Karuniya of Dewahi Gonahi Municipality-2 in the district.

After staying for three days at Muktam Masjid Idgaha in Yamunamai Rural Municipality-1 of Saptari district, from there they moved to the Karuniya in Rauathat district. They have been staying there since March 20.

Pakistani nationals--Mohammad Yusuf Khan, Jainullah, Samsullah Khan, Mohammad Fawad, Rais Khan, Gurfandin, Asgar Khan, Gulam Rasul and Halimullah---were kept in masjid under the recommendations of local Muslim preachers.

"We did not force them to stay in quarantine as they had arrived in Nepal under a missionary visa prior to lockdown. Though they are under our supervision in the masjid," said the Chief District Officer (CDO) Basudev Ghimire.

Meanwhile, locals raised their eyebrows after the administration led the foreigners to stay in masjid despite setting up 836 quarantine beds at 18 different locations in the district.