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| On Sheikh’s birth day, Mufti hits NC on MAT | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, Dec 5: Choosing the occasion of birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the Peoples Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today hit National Conference on management of Musmil Auqaf Trust (MAT).
MAT, it may be recalled here, was set up by the then Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and remained an Abdullah family fiefdom till 2003 when in a ‘bloodless coup’ the state government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took it over. The Abdullah family later fought a case in the court but lost to government.
Mufti said today that the coalition Government led by him after depoliticizing the institution of Auqaf Islamia, created the Muslim Wakaf Board to streamline its functioning and utilize the income on productive social and religious activities.
"During the decades of its existence, the Muslim Auqaf Trust (MAT) couldn't establish even a single institution of repute as was being done by other religious bodies in the State," Sayeed said at a public meeting in Chrar-e-Sharief today. He said the arrangement that had come into existence as a result of the formation of the MAT, unfortunately, failed in optimally harnessing this premiere resource and put it to proper use. "Sadly, MAT, instead of becoming an engine for the State's social transformation and religious purity, got highly politicized making it vulnerable to individual control and exploitation," he said.
To make the institution of Auqaf function in accordance with the aspirations of the people, Sayeed said his Government constituted the Wakaf Board in 2003 taking control of the shrines and the religious properties in the State to ensue that their income is put to proper and optimum use. "And the landmark achievements made by this institution just in three years, between 2002 and 2005, are there for everybody to see," he said.
"Within a short span of three years, two universities – Islamic University of Science and Technology at Awantipora and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University at Rajouri – and the Bibi Haleema Nursing College in Srinagar were set up by the Wakaf Board with the donations made at various shrines," Sayeed said and added that with the grace of God, these institutions have now not only now become self-sustaining but are imparting advanced academic and technological education to thousands of students, cutting across religious, regional and ethnic divide.
Sayeed said the Wakaf Board had also planned to establish an educational institution of repute at Chrar-e-Sharief, but because of change of guard in 2005, the project is yet to take off. "If PDP comes to power, it would resume work on this institution," he said.
Sayeed said some other initiatives taken by the Wakaf Board, during his tenure as the chief minister, included expansion and beautification of Hazratbal, Khanqah-e-Maula, Makhdoom Sahab (RA), Naqashband Sahab (RA),Char-e-Sharief, Zain-ud-Din Wali (RA) and Shahadra Sharief shrines and their premises. The expansion and beautification of Eidgah in Srinagar is another landmark that is yet to be accomplished, he said.
Responding to the demands of the locals, Sayeed said PDP is committed to establish a Degree College at Chrar-e-Sharief and de-link the shrine town of Pakherpora from district Budgam and annex it with district Pulwama which is a long-pending demand of the area.
PDP leader Ghulam Nabi Lone (Hanjoora) also addressed the meeting.
Meanwhile, the PDP Patron along with the party candidate Mumtaz Kausar also addressed several election rallies in Gulabgarh constituency of district Reasi today. |
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