Auqaf Department Wants Rs800million From Govt To Run 160 JuD Seminaries In Punjab

Auqaf Department Wants Rs800million From Govt To Run 160 JuD Seminaries In Punjab
The Punjab Auqaf Department has taken control of 160 religious seminaries of Jamaat-ud-Dawa in different cities of the province.

However, the already cash-starved department has expressed its inability to run these religious schools on permanent basis and asked the Punjab government to initially release Rs800 million to meet the daily expenditures of these seminaries, sources told Naya Daur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj2EJoaWTks&t=57s

“These are initial estimates. We need more funds in coming days,” said an official who requested anonymity.

The Auqaf Department/Organization controls the financial and administrative affairs of hundreds of shrines, mosques and religious seminaries in different cities of Punjab. Already under allegations of corruption and mismanagement, the capacity of the department to control and run the JuD’s network of madaris is under question.

Thousands of students receive religious education in the seminaries of the banned JuD. They are provided free food and shelter in these schools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4jRHwO2Dzg&t=2s

According to details, the department demands Rs200 million to run 12 schools in Sheikhupura and 10 schools in Lahore, excluding the JuD head office Jamia Qadsia.

Rs120 millions were sought to run the six seminaries in Okara and five schools in Faisalabad. The department needed Rs60 million for 14 seminaries of Pakpattan and Nankana Sahib. To run the 20 madaris in Gujranwala and Kasur, the Auqaf demanded around Rs70 million and 18 schools in Narowala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat, the department required around Rs50 million.

Rs20 million was needed to run seven seminaries in Sargodha and Mianwali, Rs50 for nine schools in Chiniot and Toba Tek Singh. The expenditure estimates to run six religious schools in Jhang, Attock, Chakwala and Bahawalpur are Rs40 million.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM37JhcPAok

Around Rs30 millions are initially demanded to run network of 19 madaris in Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar, Rs10 million for four madaris of Sahiwala and DG Khan, Rs20million for seven madaris in Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Rajanpur and Multan and around Rs60 millions are required to run the network of 20 madaris in Vehari, Khanewal and Lodhran.

The author is a Lahore based journalist. He writes about religion, politics, culture, agriculture and 1947’s Indo-Pak partition. He can be reached @imiftikharalam