Muslim leaders blame community for ‘mismanaging’ Waqf bodies

Introspecting on the state of waqf management, prominent leaders of the Muslim community have blamed Muslims for the mismanagement of 1.10 lakh Waqf bodies holding four lakh acres of waqf lands all over the country. In a day-long national seminar on Nizaam e Auqaaf (system of waqfs) for preservation, awareness and development of Waqf properties here on Sunday. K Rahman Khan, former Union Minister for Minority Affairs, expressed dissatisfaction at working of Waqf bodies in the country, “for which no one can be blamed except Muslims,” he said.

The event marked the centenary year of Ahmedabad Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee. Khan said the new waqf act would change things for the better. He said the act provided for doing away with exemption for waqf properties from rent rules, which was a good sign for financial health of waqf bodies. Secondly, he said the provision for setting up of dedicated three-member tribunals to decided on Waqf property related disputes would accelerate disposal of cases.

Khan said the increase in maximum lease period from 3 years to 30 years in case of waqf properties would attract more people for investing in land. He regretted political patronage in Waqf appointments that was damaging functioning of waqfs which caused acquisition of 1,600 acre Waqf land by Andhra Pradesh government for setting up Cyberabad.