Sindh govt takes over control of 56 facilities run by JuD, FIF

The facilities, which include schools, hospitals and madaris will now be run by the provincial government

KARACHI: A day after the federal government announced to ban the Jamaat-ud-Da'awa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), the Sindh government announced that it has taken over control of 56 facilities being run by these proscribed organisations.

The announcement came from Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Information and Law, Barrister Murtaza Wahab in a press conference on Wednesday. According to Wahab, the Sindh government had taken the action after the federal government had declared the two organisations as proscribed and had taken over the welfare and educational facilities being run by the two outfits in their jurisdiction.

This means that the schools, medical facilities and madaris being run by the JuD and FIF will now be run by the provincial government. Wahab added that these facilities will continue to provide services to the public and that no person would be denied the services being provided through these institutions. He added that the exams of the educational institutions would take place as per schedule.

According to Barrister Wahab, the staff at the institutions would be allowed to continue their work after due clearance and scrutiny as per standards and procedures of the government.



Speaking about the types of facilities, the Adviser said that 31 schools, 16 madaris and nine hospitals located across the province have been taken over by the government. He added that 10 schools, nine madaris and five hospitals were located in Karachi division, three schools and one hospital in Hyderabad district, two schools and a madarassa in Matiari, one school in Jamshoro, three schools and a hospital in Mirpurkhas; four schools in Sanghar, a school in Tando Allahyar; three schools and a madrassa in Badin, one school, two hospitals, and a madrassa in Tharparkar, one madarassa in Naushero Feroze; two schools and three madaris in Shaheed Benazirabad and one school in Qambar Shahdadkot.



Committees formed

Barrister Wahab said that committees have been constituted at the provincial, divisional [in the case of Karachi] and district level to manage these facilities in the interest of the public.

The provincial committee will be headed by the home department secretary, with the Police Special Branch Additional IG, education special secretary, health special secretary and Auqaf chief administrator will be its members.

The divisional committee for Karachi will be headed by the Karachi Commissioner, while the Karachi Police chief and divisional heads of education, health and Auqaf will act as its members.

Similarly, he said that the district committees will be headed by the respective deputy commissioners and will comprise the district heads of education, health and Auqaf departments as its members.

The adviser said that these institutions will be run under the supervision of the Sindh government and all the expenses would be borne by the provincial government. Barrister Wahab appealed people to cooperate with the government, adding that anyone who attempted to create hurdles in the administration of these facilities would be arrested.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2019.