Bhutta orders action on illegal Auqaf land use

Bhutta orders action on illegal Auqaf land use

LAHORE:  Secretary and Chief Administrator Auqaf Punjab Dr. Ehsan Bhutta has directed officials to strengthen the protection of Auqaf properties, increase departmental revenue and ensure the timely achievement of government-assigned targets. He warned that officials who fail to meet their performance goals would face departmental action, stressing the need for accountability, regular monitoring and improved administrative efficiency.

He issued these directions while chairing a conference of zonal administrators at Aiwan-e-Auqaf in Lahore, where participants reviewed the department’s administrative affairs, financial performance, land management and ongoing development projects.

The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Auqaf Nabeela Javed, Director General Religious Affairs Hafiz Anees-ur-Rehman, Director Administration Muhammad Shakir Sandhu, Director Projects Rafiq Noor Wattoo, Director Estate Muhammad Qaiser Naeem Azam, Director Finance Alveena Faiz and Director Agriculture Dr. Waqasuddin Khan. Deputy Directors Azeem Hayat, Hafiz Yousaf, Tahir Ahmed and Ayaz Habib, Medical Superintendent Data Darbar Hospital Dr. Javed Iqbal, Assistant Directors Ahmed-ur-Rehman and Israr Shah, and Zonal Administrators Muhammad Ali Khan, Rana Ehsan, Gulzar Ahmed and Jahangir Ahmed also attended. Zonal Administrators Abdul Shakoor, Ghulam Abbas Abbasi, Ayaz Mahmood Lashari, Rana Tariq Ali, Babar Sultan Gondal and Muhammad Jameel Ahmed joined the conference through video link.

During the meeting, Dr. Bhutta reviewed measures to prevent the illegal occupation and use of Auqaf land and improve the department’s income from its property portfolio. He referred to recent field visits conducted on his instructions by dedicated teams comprising the Director Lease, Assistant Director Estate and two patwaris in the Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur and Mithankot zones.

The teams identified hundreds of acres of Auqaf land under illegal cultivation, highlighting the need for stronger enforcement and more effective land management. Dr. Bhutta directed the relevant officials to complete the necessary legal and administrative proceedings and submit recommendations for improving revenue generation from the concerned mauzas, or revenue estates.

He stressed that officials must take practical steps to safeguard endowed properties, address unauthorised use of land and ensure that the department receives the income due to it. He also called for more effective coordination on land-record issues and directed officers to pursue the mutation of Auqaf properties without unnecessary delays.

The secretary emphasised the need to resolve outstanding legal and ownership-record matters through the relevant authorities. He directed officials to take the necessary measures, including coordination with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), wherever required, to facilitate the completion of pending land mutations and strengthen the department’s legal position.

Dr. Bhutta also instructed the concerned officers to accelerate action against illegal constructions on Auqaf land. Alongside enforcement measures, he called for faster planning and implementation of commercial schemes and development projects that could generate sustainable income for the department. He said officials should address matters involving commercial and residential units efficiently and identify opportunities to improve the utilisation of departmental assets.

The conference also reviewed progress on development activities at shrines and the need for closer supervision of ongoing projects. Dr. Bhutta stressed that officials must regularly assess project progress, resolve implementation-related issues and ensure that development work meets the required standards and timelines.

Highlighting the importance of preserving religious and cultural heritage, he called for integrated planning to improve facilities at shrines and promote religious tourism. He particularly directed officials to raise public awareness about the newly established galleries at model shrines, including the Iqbal Hall Gallery and the Gallery of Sacred Relics.

He said effective promotion of these galleries could help visitors better understand and appreciate the historical, religious and cultural significance of the collections. He also underscored the importance of maintaining shrine facilities, preserving architectural heritage and ensuring that development initiatives deliver tangible benefits to visitors.

The secretary further directed officials to strengthen dengue prevention efforts at shrines and other relevant locations. He called on religious scholars and preachers to use their public outreach to educate people about dengue prevention, precautionary measures and the importance of maintaining clean surroundings.

He instructed the relevant officers to monitor dengue-related targets daily and ensure the timely elimination of mosquito larvae. He emphasised that consistent field monitoring and public awareness were essential to supporting preventive efforts and reducing the risk of dengue transmission.

Reiterating his focus on performance-based management, Dr. Bhutta said the department must improve its monitoring mechanisms and hold officials accountable for their assigned responsibilities. He stressed that every officer should regularly review progress against prescribed targets, identify shortcomings and take corrective action without delay.

He concluded by directing all officers to perform their duties diligently, improve coordination between field formations and the department’s headquarters, and ensure effective follow-up on decisions taken during the conference. He said the protection of Auqaf assets, growth in departmental revenue and timely completion of development initiatives must remain central to the department’s work.