Auqaf properties: 4,000 kanal land retrieved in ongoing drive, meeting told

PESHAWAR: Over 4,000 kanal land was retrieved over the last one month in the ongoing operation against illegal occupation in the province, a meeting was told on Saturday.

The meeting was held to review the overall performance of the Auqaf Department and progress on reform initiatives being introduced in the department held here, said an official handout.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan presided over the meeting. The operation was launched on the special directives of the chief minister against encroachments on properties of Auqaf Department.

The meeting was told that 331 kanal land was retrieved in Mardan, 2,166 kanal in Bannu, 1,460 kanal in Dera Ismail Khan, 15 kanal in Kohat and six kanal in Peshawar during the operations.

It was told that encroachments on Auqaf properties had been identified in Mansehra, Charsadda and Swabi districts and operations to retrieve the properties would be launched soon.

The meeting was informed that most of the encroachments on Auqaf properties had been found in Mardan and an operation was underway with the help of the district administration.

The chief minister directed the officials to take necessary steps, adding that another meeting would be held after one month to review progress on the matter.

The chief minister gave a two-month deadline for digitisation of all matters related to the collection of department’s receipts to ensure transparency in the entire process, directing the officials to ensure the completion of digitization in the given timeframe.

The meeting was informed that a new strategy was being prepared for leasing out the Auqaf properties in the province at market rates, and with the technical assistance of the Communications and Works Department, rent/lease amounts were being fixed on market rates for Auqaf properties.

It was decided in the meeting that the lease agreement of the agricultural land of Auqaf would not exceed 50 kanal to a single person, and the high-ups of Auqaf department were directed to present the matter to the provincial cabinet for final decision.

Regarding the progress made so far on the provision of honourarium to Aimma Masajid of the province including the merged districts, it was informed that data of 21493 Aimma Masajid and 293 minority religious leaders have been collected from all over the province.