Ulema demand pay scale upgrade

Huqooq Tahaffuz-e-Ulama Mehakama Auqaf has demanded to upgrade the scales of salaries of imams and muezzins of mosques of all public hospitals across the province, to keep the mosques of hospitals open 24 hours and to make it mandatory to teach the Holy Quran in the morning, afternoon and evening, in the mosques.

They have demanded the establishment of free tables, the creation of religious libraries in mosques and the beautification of the lawns of mosques.

Maulana Abdul Rahim Abbasi, the central spokesperson for the Huqooq Tahaffuz-e-Ulama Mehakama Auqaf, said the mosques of the district headquarters should be made model mosques. Their imams, khatibs and muezzins should be given privileges equal to district khatibs. Hundreds of relatives of patients come to hospitals. If mosques are open 24 hours a day and they have free food tables and reading of the Holy Quran and teaching, relatives of patients will be able to read the holy book along with free food. Perks should be announced for them in the new budget.

He said the leaders of the organisation visited the major hospitals of Rawalpindi, District Headquarters Hospital, Benazir Bhutto General Hospital and Holy Family Hospital yesterday and saw the plight of the mosques here. A campaign to upgrade and beautify the hospital mosques and establish free canteens and religious libraries has been vigorously launched. Mosques in hospitals can be used as a means of preaching religion and reciting the Holy Quran.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2024.