A newly-constituted executive board has taken over the administration of the Auqaf-e-Shahi (royal waqf properties), replacing the secretary system, to look after the waqf properties.
Terming the change a fresh start for the better, the Mutawalli (chief trustee) of the royal waqf, Saba Sultan, announced the abolition of the one-man secretary system at a press conference here on Sunday. Saba Sultan said that the royal waqf properties will now on be looked after by Mehboob Hashmi, a retired DSP, who would function as an executive officer.
However, Hashmi's taking charge of the functions from Auqaf-e-Shahi secretary Anwar Mohammed Khan was not mentioned in the official press release. "We are thankful for the services of Anwar M Khan but it's time we moved on," said Saba Sultan, who later did not rule out the possibility of a future role for Khan.
According to sources, the move to oust Khan as secretary from Auqaf-e-Shahi was being spearheaded by former MP and waqf board chairman Gufran-e-Azam, who on Sunday was appointed to the new five-member Auqaf-e-Shahi executive board.
The board also includes former BHEl official ZU Alvi along with retired civil servants Omar Khattani and Mohd Hashim. Another member is prominent industrialist, social worker and Reliable group chairman Sikandar Hafiz Khan.
Gufran-e-Azam said, he had been deputed to take care of "impending issues" of Bhopal's Rubaat. He will purchase land and deal with the construction of new Rubaat in Mecca given his business and other connections. The Saudi Arabian government had compensated the Auqf-e-Shahi after it acquired the old Rubaat for expansion of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.
According to an agreement with the erstwhile Bhopal rulers and the Saudi government, revenue from properties cannot be used outside Saudi Arabia and has to be used for pilgrim's welfare.