PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has stressed the need for streamlining the affairs of Auqaf departments by enhancing its capacity.

Agreeing in principle to the proposed plan of Auqaf department to ensure better and efficient management of its properties across the province, he directed the authorities concerned to chalk out a feasible and workable action plan along with realistic timelines to implement it effectively.

He ordered constitution of a committee headed by additional chief secretary to come up with workable proposals to this effect as well as for capacity building of the Auqaf Department to enable it to successfully deal with the challenges of efficient management of its properties, according to a statement.

Chairing a meeting, he stressed the need for streamlining the affairs of Auqaf departments by enhancing its capacity, digitisation of all the records of its properties, removing encroachments from the properties and making necessary amendments in the relevant laws for better management of the properties.

Besides Provincial Minister Akbar Ayub, special assistant to chief minister on Auqaf, special assistant to chief minister on minority affairs, and Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, the meeting was also attended by secretaries of departments concerned.

The meeting was given detailed briefing about the overall performance of the department and various aspects of the proposed Business Development Plan including short and long term schemes along with estimate costs, the expected income after completion of the schemes and the challenges faced by the department in implementing the proposed plan.

In order to improve service delivery of the department, various proposals for its capacity enhancement also came under discussion which included digitisation of all the Waqf properties records and its synchronisation with the revenue record, introduction of financial management and internal audit system, establishment of monitoring and grievance redresal system, appointment of fulltime magistrate of Auqaf department, capacity building of the staff, necessary amendments in the relevant laws, development of all inclusive web portal and mobile app for the department etc.

The chief minister while stressing the need for capacity enhancement of the department for the implementation the proposed plan, directed the quarters concerned to take necessary steps to ensure provision of the required human and financial resources to the department.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2020