PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the Auqaf department to revive the previous government’s plan to pay monthly stipends to prayer leaders across the province saying his government will allocate funds in the next budget for the purpose.

The plan to give away stipends to thousands of prayers leaders across the province every month was conceived by the last Pervez Khattak-led government. However, it wasn’t executed.

The plan had drawn the criticism of religious parties, especially JUI-Fazl.

A statement issued quoted the chief minister as telling a ‘performance review meeting’ of the Auqaf department that a complete plan with procedures for selection and provision of stipends to prayer leaders in the province, as decided by the previous government, should be finalised within one month for the approval of the cabinet.

However, an official of the finance department told Dawn that he didn’t know about the plan.

The chief minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure the return of the illegally occupied lands to the Auqaf department, the pursuing of cases against illegal encroachments in courts, and full-fledged action against them.

He said the Auqaf department had been working for the protection of waqf lands, including those donated for mosques, graveyards, seminaries and shrines, in addition to working towards interfaith and religious harmony and working towards the protection of the rights of minority communities.

The officials told Mr Mahmood that recently, the department had taken measures for providing technical education to students in seminaries in collaboration with the Tevta.

They said steps were being taken for protection of the minorities’ rights and their welfare.

The officials highlighted the department’s development plan for 2018-19 consisting of 20 development schemes valuing Rs400 million.

They said 60 percent of the funds was allocated for religious affairs, whereas the rest were doled out for the development of minorities.

The officials said under the packages for minorities’ affairs, Rs10,000 was given away to 400 widows each, Rs30,000 marriage grant to 60 people each, Rs20,000 medical grant to 100 people each and books and uniforms to 35 minority schools for 2,500 students.

They said under the scholarship programme for minorities, 120 gradation students were provided with Rs25,000 each, 120 intermediate students Rs20,000 each, 40 students of master’s programmes Rs30,000 each and 40 students of MBBS, MPhil and PhD programmes Rs40,000 each.

The officials said 320 students benefitted from the minorities scholarship programme.

They informed the chief minister about the 2019-20 ADP plan consisting of 21 schemes valuing Rs427 million.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2019