RAWALPINDI: Parliamentary Secretary for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Punjab Malik Iftikhar Ahmed on Sunday said under the special directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz efforts will be made to ensure digitisation of shrines, residential and commercial properties of Auqaf in the province.

“An online donation system will enhance transparency, and eliminating bureaucratic hurdles within the Auqaf department will be the top priority,” he stated this while talking to newsmen on Sunday.

Mr Ahmed vowed to utilise all his capabilities to fulfill the trust imposed in him by the chief minister through institutional reforms. He said immediate measures to improve shrines and provide modern facilities to pilgrims would be his priority.

He explained that initially improvements had been made to 15 model shrines, including Data Darbar, Bibi Pak Daman and Bahauddin Zakariya shrine. The scope of these facilities will gradually be expanded to shrines across all districts of Punjab.

In collaboration with the Punjab Quran Board, Muttahida Ulema Board, Ittehad Bainul Muslimeen Committee and Khatamun Nabiyeen University, religious and educational activities will also be organised. Special events will be held throughout the province in Rabiul Awwal.

He also highlighted the plans to enhance training of Auqaf staff, improve administrative functions and further activate governance IT initiatives like e-filing and office automation system, key performance indicators (KPIs) and the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS).

Institutional reforms will address staff deployment, disciplinary cases, pension matters and audit observations within the Auqaf department.

These comprehensive measures aim to modernise Punjab’s shrines, provide pilgrims with top-notch facilities and ensure transparency in managing religious sites’ revenues.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2024