PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has agreed to the proposed plan of the Auqaf Department to ensure better and efficient management of its properties across the province. He directed the officials concerned to prepare a feasible and workable action plan with realistic timelines.
The chief minister was chairing a meeting of the Auqaf Department, said an official handout. Provincial Minister Akbar Ayub, Special Assistant to CM on Auqaf, Special Assistant to CM on Minority Affairs, Wazirzada and Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, secretary Finance, secretary Auqaf, administrator Auqaf and others attended the meeting. Mahmood Khan ordered the constitution of a committee headed by the additional chief secretary to come up with workable proposals for capacity building of the Auqaf Department to help it deal with the challenges of efficient management of its properties. He stressed the need for streamlining the affairs of the Auqaf Departments by enhancing its capacity, digitizing record of its properties, removing encroachments on the properties and amending the relevant laws for their better management. The meeting was briefed about the overall performance of the department and various aspects of the proposed business development plan. Various proposals were discussed at the meeting for capacity building of the department to improve its performance. The proposals included digitization of all the Waqf properties’ record and its synchronisation with the revenue record, the introduction of Financial Management and Internal Audit System, establishment of Monitoring and Grievance Redress System, the appointment of a full-time magistrate of Auqaf Department, capacity building of the staff, necessary amendments to the relevant laws and development of all-inclusive web portal and mobile App for the department.