PR, ETPB lock horns over shrine ownership

The ownership dispute over the shrine of 'Saint Masoom Shah Badshah', located on Railway Station Road in Rawalpindi, has escalated between two government institutions, Pakistan Railways (PR) and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

In response to a request from the ETPB, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched an inquiry into the matter.

The FIA has provisionally dismissed PR' claim to the shrine's ownership and summoned the Divisional Superintendent of Railways, Rawalpindi, to present a written response as part of the investigation. In a formal letter, FIA Deputy Director Muhammad Afzal Khan Niazi asked PR to clarify when did the Rawalpindi division of PR assume control of the Sain Masoom Shah Badshah shrine? Has a bank account been established for the shrine's income, and if so, full documentation must be provided.

Who collects the income from the shrine, who spends it, and for what purposes? How much total revenue has the shrine generated so far under Railways' management, and how has that money been utilised?

The FIA further questioned who authorises expenditure of the shrine's income, asserting that apparently the management of such religious sites does not fall under PR's jurisdiction. Legally, this responsibility lies with the ETPB.

Additionally, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) recently ordered that control of the prominent shrine of Abdullah Shah Biabani on Khanna Road in Islamabad be transferred from a private entity to the ETPB. The Islamabad administration has been directed to implement this ruling and submit a compliance report.