ISLAMABAD: The only government-run model seminary in the federal capital deprived under-privileged students of the monthly stipend they were entitled to.

In the words of the auditor general of Pakistan’s (AGP) special audit report 2016-17: “Audit observed that total number of 400 [deserving] students were enrolled in Model Deeni Madaris Islamabad during the year 2015-16, but a monthly stipend [of] Rs500 per month was not paid to the students as no funds for monthly stipends were released by Pakistan Madressah Education Board to Model Deeni Madressah.”

Deserving students were deprived due to non-payment, the report said, adding that according to the management, Zakat funds had not been released to the Madressah Education Board by Islamabad Zakat and Ushr Committee in 2015-16, which led to the non-payment of the scholarship amount.

However, auditors found this justification to be untenable, since other expenditures were incurred from the Rs23 million already available for fiscal year 2015-16, and recommended an inquiry to fix responsibility. It also recommended that the students be paid the monthly stipend still due to them.

In 2001, the Musharraf regime formed the Pakistan Madressah Education Board to mainstream the country’s religious seminaries. The board supervises three Model Deeni Madaris in the country, one each in Islamabad, Karachi and Sukkur, and reports to the federal religious affairs ministry.

Ex-administrator claims Zakat funds not released to Madressah Education Board

The Islamabad-based model madressah, which is located in Haji Camp I-14/4, does not have a full-time administrator since former head Dr Amir Tahseen retired in August this year after completing a three-year tenure.

Currently, an officer of the religious affairs ministry is looking after the board’s affairs.

The former administrator echoed the board’s stance, that students were not paid the stipend because funds were not released to them from the Zakat fund, despite repeated attempts.

“It is true that students were not paid,” he said. When quizzed about the Rs23m the audit referred to, he admitted that while the money was available, it was allocated under a different head.

“I have relinquished charge, therefore I am not in a position to say what the future policy regarding this stipend will be,” he said, when quizzed further.

Meanwhile, in another audit para, auditors observed that the Model Deeni Madaris had, in violation of Public Procurement Rules, purchased miscellaneous items worth Rs2.8m without calling for open tenders.

“[The] management replied that as the funds during the last two years have not been received (sic), therefore, without availability of sufficient funds [the] open tender system was not adopted and the mess items were purchased from Utility Stores Corporation on concessional rates,” the audit report said.

Auditors did not accept this reply either, saying that a tender should have been called since the expenditure exceeded the allowable limit incurred during the year 2015-16 and also recommended an inquiry to fix responsibility in this regard.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2017