Naeem calls for simplifying mosques' registration

LAHORE: Noted scholar and principal Darul Uloom Jamia Naeemia Dr Ragheb Hussain Naeemi has asked the government to make easy registration process of mosques and religious institutions. He also called for taking into confidence the respected religious institutions, organizations and scholars while evolving the registration process. Initial period should be extended for registration of mosques and institutions, he said while addressing a gathering on Friday. He said a regular advertisement campaign should be started by the government for registration and number of fines imposed on the organizers for late registration should be reduced. The penalty on non-provision of information should also be reduced to a reasonable extent. He said that instead of putting registration of mosques under the Department of Industries, it should be given under the Department of Auqaf. To avoid any Shia-Sunni dispute, sects must be mentioned in the form issued by Auqaf during registration, he said, adding that a sect should be mentioned in the registration form of mosques and madrassas also so to avoid inter-sectarian disputes. A separate directorate should be set up in the Auqaf Department for more than 52,000 mosques and more than 2,500 madrassas and other properties of Auqaf and staff should be appointed accordingly.

The Auqaf Department should not take over madrassas, mosques on personal lands or the betterment of madrassas and mosques, he said, adding that amendments to the 1979 Ordinance have become indispensible and Punjab Charity Commission (which was set up to oversee the financial affairs of NGOs) was not made functional and even after passing of one year its advertisements for registration are still being published. He said an effective strategy should be adopted to get the registration of mosques and Waqf properties with the Auqaf Department.