Ensure equal facilities for all: Waqf chairman

Authorities at the Punjab Waqf Board and its associated educational and healthcare organisations have been strictly directed to ensure the highest quality of services for all beneficiaries, regardless of their caste or community.

This directive was issued by the newly appointed chairman of the Punjab Waqf Board, Mohammad Owais, following his visit to institutions under the jurisdiction of the Amargarh and Ahmedgarh subdivisions in Malerkotla district.

“Having received reports on the functioning of almost all educational and healthcare institutes receiving financial aid from the Waqf Board, we have advised that all beneficiaries, including students and patients, receive the best quality facilities without any discrimination of caste and creed,” Owais stated.

Expressing his gratitude to the Almighty for the blessings received during the month of Ramzan, Owais urged the residents of Punjab—irrespective of political allegiance or caste and creed—to make the most of the facilities provided by the institutions run by the Waqf Board across the state.

“Now that I have been entrusted with the responsibility to oversee the maintenance, upkeep and proper utilisation of the properties and institutions of the board, with the help of my colleagues, I want to ensure that the services provided by public utility bodies are accessible to all residents of the state, including Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, irrespective of their affiliations,” Owais emphasised, expressing regret that many people have mistakenly believed that only Muslims benefited from the Waqf Board institutions.

Owais also commended the fact that a significant number of non-Muslim residents have been utilising the educational and healthcare services offered by the Waqf Board and that individuals from all communities have been part of the operational staff.

The chairman further mentioned that the Waqf Board currently operates at least 12 schools in the region, four of which are located in Malerkotla and were established by his father. Notably, in most of these schools, about one-fourth of the students come from non-Muslim families.