CM Mahmood Khan wants modalities worked out for paying prayer leaders

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the Finance and Auqaf departments to work out the modalities for provision of stipends to prayer leaders, including minorities, within one week time after which cheques would be provided to 21,981 Masajid imam and 293 minority prayer leaders.

In an official statement issued here Wednesday, he said that Rs10,000 will be provided on a monthly basis to prayer leaders for which Rs 2.67 billion would be borne by the provincial kitty every year. Chairing a meeting on provision of monthly stipends to prayer leaders in the province at Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Mahmood Khan stated that the present government is committed to the uplift of the weak and downtrodden segments of the society for which every effort is being made to materialize the vision of the government. The chief minister stated that previously, religious and prayer leaders were completely ignored with no assistance and ownership of this important institution. He said the religious institutions play an important role in our culture and the government would undertake every effort to resolve all their standing issues.

Mahmood Khan was informed that the identification of prayer leaders and provision of monthly stipends will be made through the respective assistant commissioners in every district of the province including the merged tribal districts. Furthermore, the funds’ flow mechanism for disbursement of financial assistance has been prepared in consultation with the Accountant General office of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

As per details, the highest number of prayer leaders has been identified in District Peshawar having 2900 leaders followed by Mardan having 2803 leaders and Charsadda having 2273 prayer leaders.

The chief minister was informed that the data will further be updated once the scheme is operationalised.

The chief minister directed the Auqaf Department to undertake stern measures against encroachments on the Auqaf lands, adding that state of the art commercial markets will be established which will help in generating revenue thereby strengthening the provincial economy.