Senate panel directs CDA to give clerics govt accommodations

Civic authority told to reimburse khateebs and moazzans for the rent they had to pay in private houses

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel on Friday directed the civic agency in the federal capital to provide government accommodation to khateeb, moazzans and employees of government-owned mosques in the city within the next six months apart from reimbursing them for renting private accommodations.

This was directed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior which met at the Parliament House on Friday. The committee was chaired by Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Rehman Malik.

During the committee meeting, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman raised a point of public importance regarding the provision of residential accommodation to Khateebs, Muezzins and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Mosque employees.

The committee was told that three houses, which were reserved for prayer leaders, had been allotted to others by the CDA. This had forced the prayer leaders to seek accommodation in private houses on rent.

Senator Rehman was of the view that unlawful allocation of such accommodation be stopped and those responsible are brought to justice.

The committee’s chairman, while taking strict notice of the absence of CDA chairman, instructed the CDA to allocate government houses to all those who have been deprived of their rightful accommodation within the next six months and reimburse all costs of private accommodation to those who were eligible for it.

The committee further directed the CDA to allot government accommodations located in Sector F-6/1 to the three particular Khateebs and Muezzins within the next six weeks.

The committee also considered the 'Islamabad Community Integration Bill-2019', which was introduced by Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad.

Senator Ahmad told the committee that the bill had been inspired by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) message.

For Pakistan to replicate the state of Madina, he said that it was important that measures are taken to integrate the community to stand together at all times.

The bill proposes the constitution of ‘Rafai Committees’ at the neighbourhood level to take care of the poor of that area by the community.

All members agreed to the essence of the bill. However, it was recommended to revisit certain clauses of the bill.

The committee subsequently directed Senator Ahmad to further improve the bill in consultation with the representatives of the law and interior ministries and present it to the committee again.

Malik warned the CDA chairman and member administration of dire consequences if they fail to show up in future meetings of the committee.

The meeting was attended by Senators Asad Junejo, Ahmad, Kulsoom Parveen and Dr Shahzad Waseem.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2019.