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AUQAF & RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS
Policy [2002-2007]
· The Auqaf Department was setup under ‘West Pakistan Waqf Property Ordinance, 1959’. The administration of Waqf Properties was taken over by the government in 1961. The Auqaf was taken over by Federal Government in 1977 and it was taken back to the Provincial governments in 1979.
· Under ‘Punjab Waqf Property Ordinance, 1979’, the provincial government appoints Chief Administrator Auqaf and under the clause 7 of the Ordinance, the Chief Administrator Auqaf can take over the control of any Waqf property for its better management. He can also appoint necessary staff to look after the said Waqf property and devise rules and regulations as well. The Auqaf Department has been renamed as Auqaf, Religious and Minorities Affairs Department and now the department is also administering religious and minorities affairs besides managing Waqaf properties in the province.
· Promotion of Sectarian harmony, elimination of religious intolerance and fanaticism besides revival of high Islamic values is a basic responsibility of the department and for this purpose, Ittehad Bain-ul-Muslimeen Committee and Minority Advisory Council, have been strengthened. The Ulema of all schools of thought are included in the Ittehad Bain ul Muslimeen Committee which strives for maintaing religious harmony and peace especially in the month of Muharram-ul-Harram. Minority Advisory Council is working for promoting Inter- faith harmony. The Punjab government has also setup Punjab Inter- religious harmony committee in which representation is given to Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, Parsees, Bihais and Muslims. These Inter religious Harmony Cmmittees are also setup at the level of districts in Punjab. These steps helped in promoting interfaith dialogue and now these communities are playing equal role in national development.
· Conferences are held under Ittehad Bain ul Muslimeen secretariat to promote teachings of Khulfa-e-Rashedeen, Umhaat ul Momineen and other Islamic leaders. The Auqaf department has also arranged Syedna Siddique-e-Akbar seminar, martyrdom day of Hazarat Ali, Youm e Badar Seminar, Umhaat ul Momineen conference, Hazarat Usman Ghani Conference, Hazarat Khatoon e Janaat Conference, Hazarat Umer-e-Farooq Conference and Hazarat Imam Hussain Conference. These functions were presided over by Governor, Former CM and provincial ministers. Functions were also held in colleges.
· Seerat Conferences and religious meetings besides rallies to commemorate the birthday of Holy Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) are regularly arranged in Rabi ul Awaal. Spiritual gatherings including Hamd o Naat and Muhaafil are also regularly held.
· Auqaf Department has also arranged Ulema and Mashaikh Convention in Faisalabad, Sargodha, Multan, D.G Khan, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, pakpattan and Bahawalpur.
· Auqaf has also arranged International Muhaafil –e- Qirat in which ‘Qura’ of eight Islamic countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Turkey, Saudi Arab, Egypt and Kuwait besides Pakistan participated. Opening ceremony was presided over by Governor Punjab at Badshahi Mosque, Lahore. Later, functions were held in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Mir Pur Azad Kashmir, Faisal Masjid Islamabad, Peshawar, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Eid Gah Bahawalpur, Data Darbar Mosque Lahore and Chief Minister House Karachi.
· Punjab Quran Board has been setup under the patronage of Chief Minister Punjab to ensure quality printing and its distribution among the needy besides protection of the worn-out pages. This board would provide free Quran Copies to students of middle and matric. Chief Minister has also approved setting up of Quran Museum for preserving age old copies of Holy Quran.
· The Auqaf Department has appointed 61 proof readers to ensure proofing of Holy Qurans under Quran Act, 1973. All publishers of Holy Quran are directed to get certificates of proof reading before the publishing of the Holy Book.
· The government has constituted United Ulema Board comprising of Ulema all schools of thought to forfeit controversial religious literature. During the last few years, this board has recommended confiscation of as many as 61 books besides taking action against the writers. The Home Department has forfeited these books. Keeping in view the sensitive nature of the matter, 18 member Ulema and Mashaikh board have been reconstituted which has so far held 9 meetings.
· The Auqaf Department has setup independent office for the minorities; ceremonies were held to commemorate the religious days of the minorities in which Chief Minister, Governor and others high officials participated. The Auqaf Department distributed Rs. 1 million education stipends among 355 minorities’ students during the last fiscal year.
· The Auqaf Department has constructed Seerat Academy and Quran Complex on Mall Road on an area of 54.2 kanal. This complex includes auditorium, conference hall, Quran Museum and library, Seerat Research Centre and a Mosque. This complex would facilitate the students desirous of doing M.A and Ph.D. in future. The declaration of quarterly journal “Anfas” has been obtained to publish quality research articles about various facets of Seerat-e-Tayyaba (PBUH)
· The Council of Islamic Ideology has approved recycling of worn out pages of the Holy Quran. Auqaf Department has setup Quran Mahals with the cost of Rs. 2.5 million at the level of a division in the province and it has been planned to setup 50 more Quran Mahals in various Tehsils. Meanwhile, 150 green boxes have been fixed in various districts to facilitate the people to put used-up material in them.
· Auqaf Department has setup Dar-ul-Nisa in 8 districts of the province with the cost of Rs. 3.5 million. First such institution has been setup at that of Darbar Hazarat Mian Mir. This institution functions in two shift and give Islamic teachings and training to the girls, free of cost.
· Auqaf Department is providing free medical facilities and a 100 bed Data Darbar Hospital Lahore is providing free eye, child and general healthcare facilities. Chest ward was also added. 16 dispensaries also provide free medical aid in various districts. A sum of Rs. 28 million is spent on these medical facilities.
· 8 Zonal Jehaz Committee have been setup in Punjab which gives jehaz goods worth Rs. 4 lakh every month to the needy. The Jehaz grant of Data Darbar Committee has been increased from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 18 lakh per annum. Moreover, Rs. 54 lakh Jehaz goods are also distributed through Zonal Jahez Committees, every year.
· Auqaf Department has provided land for nuclear medical centre Gujranwala, University of Gujrat, THQ Hospital Mian Mir Lahore, Children Complex Angori Bagh Lahore, Girls College Kabir Wala, Girls College, Okara, and Ladies and Children Park Rahim Yar Khan. 160 water coolers including filters with a cost of Rs. 2.8 million are installed at various shrines and mosques. New ablution points and toilets are also constructed. Security gadgets worth Rs. 6 millions are purchased for public protection.
· Auqaf Department has leased out 6292 acre barren lands through auction and 224 acre land has been retrieved from the squatters. Some plots are also leased out under petrol pumps schemes. These schemes helped in improving the departmental economy.
· Auqaf Department has also launched various new projects to improve facilities at shrines and mosques. The projects of Baba Freed Ganj Shakar Pakpattan, Baba Bulay Shah, Darbar Hazrat Turt Murad, Jinnah Garden Lahore, Darbar Noori Hazoori including an adjacent mosque, Darbar Shah Hussain Gujrat, the shops of central mosque Rawalpindi, exterior renovation of anexee of Shah Chiragh and Darbar Hazarat Badshahhan have been completed. Likewise, various others projects at shrines and mosques administered by the Auqaf Department have been completed well in time. The purpose is to provide all possible facilities to the coming devotees. The development budget has been increased from Rs. 7 crore to Rs. 13 crore during the last two years and Rs. 7 crore have been reserved for commercial schemes. Meanwhile, 3, 50, 00,000 rupees have been spent in collaboration with various philanthropists to provide additional facilities at shrines.
· Circle Managers have been provided new motorcycles and field officers are given vehicles which resulted in better performance and as a result, the income has been increased from Rs. 32 crore to 58 crore rupees during the last three year. With permission from the federal government, Rs. 8 crore investment has been made in Defence Saving Certificates so that better interest rate could be benefited. Audit Disposal Committee has been reactivated the pension approval and GP funds release has been made easier. Committee has been constituted to monitor cash boxes openings. As a result, the income from cash boxes has been increased from 20 to 30 per cent. Computer technology has been utilized and fax and internet facilities are in vogue. The property and revenue record is also been computerized with the grant of Rs. 3 crore from the Punjab government.
· Auqaf Department is also publishing Islamic books and sale point has been setup at Data Darbar Complex. Brochures are also published during the annual Urs of various saints, highlighting their teachings. Auqaf Department has setup Chairs in Universities to propagate teachings of the saints. So far, the Chairs to be setup include Khawaja Ghulam Fareed, Baba Buley Shah, Baba Fareed, Hazrat Ali Hajveri and Sultan Bahoo. A grant of Rs. 26 lakh was reserved for the purpose. The purpose is to promote religious tolerance, enlightenment and interfaith dialogue at the grassroots.
