RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government is in a dilemma regarding the running of seminaries it has taken over from the banned Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and is considering allocating separate funds for them.

The government froze JuD accounts and that of its sister organisation, Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), and the provincial government will now run the affairs of the seminaries and the health unit.

The district administration in Rawalpindi took over one seminary and four health units while the Islamabad administration took over three health facilities and seven ambulances. There were no JuD seminaries in the federal capital, according to details submitted by the Islamabad deputy commissioner.

Auqaf Department Regional Administrator Zahid Iqbal told Dawn that the provincial government had asked the department to prepare a report on the expenses of the seminaries which came under the department’s control in February.

He said the Auqaf Department is running the Madressah Hudebia, the expense report of which has been sent to the Punjab government through the deputy commissioner. This includes teacher salaries, student meals and utility bills. “All district administrations across the province have been asked to submit these details,” a senior district administration officer said.

The Auqaf Department conducted an expense survey and submitted a report to the district administration.

According to the report, Madressah Hudebia, on Chakri Road, Naseerabad covers an area of 22 kanals and has 21 administrative officials, 37 teachers and 300 students. The per-month expenses of this seminary are Rs2 million, according to the report.

The Punjab government has not released funds for the education and health facilities in these organisations for the last two months but will be allocating funds in its budget for the next fiscal year.

The health units will not be run by funds of the health authority and will be provided separate funds after receiving a report regarding its expenses.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2018