IN BORDER DISTRICTS MUSLIM COMMUNITY STRIVING FOR BURIAL SPACES

PEOPLE FACING AGITATION OF LOCALS DESPITE HAVING WAQF BOARD’S GRAVEYARDS

Jalandhar: Despite fundamental right to last rights according to one’s religion, people from Muslim community are finding it hard to have burial spaces in border districts of Punjab. Taking a serious note on a similar instance, ADGP-cum-Administrator Punjab Wakaf Board M.S. Faruqi has directed SSP Hoshiarpur to take legal action against those accountable for preventing the community members from conducting their last rights at designated graveyards by Punjab Wakaf Board.

SEVERAL CASES REPORTED IN HOSHIARPUR, PATHANKOT, GURDASPUR, Ferozpur, FAZILKA DISTRICTS
The complaint was filed by a Hoshiarpur resident named Mustak Ahmad who stated that some local residents were creating hurdles in conducting last rights at the graveyard. Similar complaints were also reported from Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Fazilka districts. Following these reports, the administrator Punjab Waqf Board has issued directions to concerned police authorities to ensure proper utilization of graveyards in their respective districts so that people from the community do not face any problem in last rights.

The administrator reiterated that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government was committed to safeguarding the interests of the Muslim Community of the state and all necessary steps would be taken by the board in this regard. He stated that the state government has already streamlined various schemes and services meant for the Muslim community as the issue of burial spaces would be sorted out as soon as possible.

The administrator further mentioned that a series of meetings would be conducted with the Deputy Commissioners and their Police counterparts (Police Commissioners/SSPs) to address the issues related to Muslim community so that their genuine demands can be fulfilled at the earliest. He stated that Punjab Waqf Board was committed to ensuring welfare of the community and no stone would be left unturned in this task.