12 December 2004	Sunday	29 Shawwal 1425

LAHORE, Dec 11: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has ordered an action against those found responsible for substandard publication of the Holy Quran.

Presiding over the first meeting of the Punjab Quran Board here on Saturday, the chief minister said the board would also include a DIG police and an additional secretary of the home department so as to proceed against those found violating the Quran Act 1973.

He said an additional secretary of the auqaf department and a representative of the information department would also be the members of the board to ensure quality publication of the Holy Quran and create public awareness about its importance.

He directed the officials concerned to ensure quality publication of the Holy Quran and systematic collection of the worn-out copies of the holy book.

Quran Mahals would be established in every tehsil of the province to protect the worn-out copies of the Holy Quran. For that purpose, the government would provide Rs30 million to every tehsil, he said.

The chief minister announced the provision of free copies of the Holy Quran to students of middle to matric classes.

He said a Quran museum would be established to protect the rare and hand-written copies of the holy book. A Quran library would also be established to keep copies of the holy book containing translation of its Arabic version into different languages and tafasir.

He directed the auqaf department to have prepared a design of the complex which would house the three facilities. It should reflect Islamic architecture, he said.