Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony meets

Islamabad, February 28, 2019 (PPI-OT): Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony has appointed three Sub-Committees to probe in to the affairs of Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony during its meeting held in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, today. The Committee was told that many lands of the Evacuee Trust Properties have been grabbed by the land grabbers. Moreover, there is approved strength of 1476 employees in the Evacuee Trust Properties Board but, in violation of rules, 1925 employees have been recruited in the Trust.

Hence about 500 extra employees have been appointed. The Committee appointed a Sub-Committee to probe into the affairs of Evacuee Trust Properties and its Board and to report the Committee in thirty days. The Committee was informed that in 2017 DDWP approved “Construction of Pilgrim Residential Block No. 3 and Allied Services”, in Hajj Directorate Peshawar. Rs. 36.050 million were allocated for Financial Year 2017-18 but no release was made. Similarly, a project titled “Construction of Training Hall at Hajj Directorate, Quetta” was approved in DDWP on 10-11-2015 with a total cost of Rs. 30.828 million.

As per approved PC-I, the project was to be completed within one year up to June-2017. The Project could not be completed in Financial Year 2016-17 due to surrender of Rs. 4.9 million by Pak PWD. The amount of Rs. 4.9 million by Pak PWD. The amount of Rs. 4.9 million has been demanded again through Planning and Development Division. However, response from that division is awaited. In this context, the division is being pursued for early release of the said amount. The Committee observed that Government failed to complete the Projects, timely. Similarly, the Committee observed that non-inclusion of any project in the PSDP was not appreciable.

So, a Sub-Committee to probe in the affairs of present and past PSDPs has been constituted. The Committee was informed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony that Madrassa Development Board was constituted in 2001 but presently there is no Chairman of the Board. The Committee observed that there are three Model Deeni Madaris. Millions of Rupees were spent on the Madaris. So, to look into the affairs of Deeni Madaris a Sub-Committee has been constituted which shall report to the main Committee in thirty days. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony informed the Committee that it has already implemented directions of the Committee and would implement rest of the directions and decisions of the Committee.

The meeting was presided over by the Chairman Standing Committee of National Assembly on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, Mr. Asad Mehmood and attended by Members National Assembly; Sahibzada Sibghatullah, Mr. Muhammad Bashir Khan, Prince Muhammad Nawaz Allai, Mr. Mujahid Ali, Mr. Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Raja Riaz Ahmad, Ch. Javed Iqbal Warraich, Mr. Aftab Jehangir, Ms. Saira Bano, Ms. Shunila Ruth, Choudhary Faqir Ahmed, Begum Tahira Bokhari, Mahar Irshad Ahmad Khan and Ms. Shahida Akhtar Ali. Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, Joint Secretaries and many other senior officers attended the meeting.

For more information, contact:
Secretary
National Assembly of Pakistan
Automation Centre,
National Assembly Secretariat,
Parliament House,
Islamabad – Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9221082-83
Fax: +92-51-9221106
Email: assembly@na.gov.pk
Website: www.na.gov.pk