Waqf Chairperson inspects rented out shops in Auqaf Market in Lal Chowk Srinagar

Srinagar : Chairperson of Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board & Minister of State J&K Dr Darakhshan Andrabi on Tuesday toured Auqaf Market in Budshah Chowk Srinagar and conducted a ground inspection of the Waqf owned allotted shops in this centrally located marked in posh area of Lal Chowk.
According to a statement issued here, Dr Andrabi verified the allotment records, occupation records and rent details of all the commercial units run in the Waqf Board owned rented-off accommodations. Waqf Board Tehsildar Ishtiyaq Mohiuddin & officers of the Board accompanied Dr Andrabi along with the records of all allottees. The Waqf Chairperson spoke to all tenants of these properties to clear all pending rent within a fortnight to avoid the action from the Board. “We have issued many notices to them for clearing of the outstanding rent but they have failed to clear their long pending outstanding dues and now I personally visited them to make them understand that the days of exploitation of Waqf properties by anybody whosoever is impossible. They have to clear the dues within a couple of weeks or face action from the Board”, said Dr Andrabi. She asked the occupants having no valid documents of the allotment from Waqf to report to the Waqf Board to find the possibility of allotment as per rules and as per the Central Waqf provisions or face the action of sealing of these properties. “No illegal occupant will be allowed to continue the occupation. We have earlier also warned such people but now their time is over. They have to report to the Waqf Board immediately to clear their records or face grave actions. Waqf is the property of the people & we cannot allow anybody to think that it was their own right to misuse this public asset”, said Dr Darakhshan. In reply to a question from a journalist, Dr Andrabi said that politicians jump in everything to cook their political bread whenever the Board comes out with new reformation or streamlining of the working system in Waqf Board.
The Waqf Chairperson added that it was shocking to find the shopkeepers expecting a shop in Lal Chowk on a thousand rupee rent per month. “Our rent structures are amazingly very low but people think than Waqf is a Free-Loot property & hence on the behest of some parochial politicians, they are not even paying this meager amount as has been the routine for decades in J&K, but now nobody will be allowed to hold-back a single penny of Waqf Board & action against all defaulters will start soon”, said Dr Darakhshan.