PA committee reviews auqaf appointments, properties record and minority affairs
DLP Report
PESHAWAR
A meeting of the Standing Committee of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs was held on Tuesday at the Provincial Assembly Secretariat in Peshawar with Chairman of the Committee and MPA Ijaz Muhammad in the chair.
The meeting was attended by committee members and MPAs including Suresh Kumar, Bery Lal, Ms. Rehana Ismail, Ms. Shazia Tamas, Ms. Naheed Noor, and Ms. Amina Jalil. Secretary of the Department of Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs, officials of the relevant department, representatives of the Law Department, and officers of the Provincial Assembly Secretariat were also present.
During the meeting, the Secretary of the Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs Department briefed the committee on appointments made during the fiscal year 2025-26. He informed the committee that 13 appointments had so far been made in different cadres during the current financial year. According to the secretary, the appointments were carried out on fixed salary and daily wage bases.
Chairman of the Standing Committee Ijaz Muhammad directed the department to submit a comprehensive report in the next meeting regarding the procedure adopted for these appointments.
The Administrator Auqaf also briefed the committee on Auqaf properties, markets, shops, and the lease system. He informed members that the annual revenue of the Auqaf Department stands at around Rs42 million, while the department owns approximately 65,000 kanals of land in various districts including Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mardan, and Dera Ismail Khan.
He further stated that the department manages more than 500 small and large units, and that shops and plazas are leased out according to prevailing market rates. Lease approvals are granted through a formal committee, while revenue collection is conducted through commissioners and assistant commissioners of the respective districts.
Officials of the department also presented details regarding honorariums and financial assistance being provided to religious leaders belonging to minority communities. The committee was informed that 168 individuals are currently benefiting from the facility. However, members of the committee expressed dissatisfaction over the details provided.
Minority MPA Suresh Kumar proposed the formation of a sub-committee to further examine the matter. The chairman subsequently directed the establishment of a sub-committee and instructed it to submit its report within three months.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Chairman Ijaz Muhammad directed the Secretary of Auqaf, Hajj and Religious Affairs to prioritize cases related to printing presses and publishers seeking registration with the Quran Board in order to address pending concerns and ambiguities at the earliest.
