Mehbooba Mufti Demands Waqf Administration Transfer to Elected Government in J&K
By : Sheikh Mohammad Isa
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has called for the transfer of Waqf administration in Jammu and Kashmir to the elected government. She has also urged authorities to allow the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to review sermons delivered in mosques. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Her remarks came after the Waqf Board moved to introduce uniform sermons in mosques across Jammu and Kashmir. Mehbooba strongly opposed the proposal, saying it amounted to interference in religious affairs and raised concerns about the independence of religious institutions and clerics.
In a post on X, the PDP president said her party opposed the directive. She also recalled the party’s opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill, citing similar concerns over religious freedom and the management of Waqf properties.
“Faith cannot be dictated, nor can religious institutions be subjected to arbitrary control,” Mehbooba said.
She argued that the proposed move raised questions about the religious freedom of Muslims and the autonomy of their institutions. She also expressed concern over the role of Muslims in decisions concerning Waqf properties and referred to what she described as attacks on mosques.
Mehbooba said that if the authorities intended to proceed with the uniform sermon policy, they should first transfer the administration of Waqf properties in Jammu and Kashmir to the elected government. She further called for the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema, headed by Kashmir’s Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to be allowed to review the sermons.
The PDP president also stressed that religious freedom was a constitutional right and should not depend on the decisions of those in power.
The issue has brought renewed attention to the management of Waqf properties and the authority of the Waqf Board over religious institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. The proposal for uniform sermons has also prompted debate over religious autonomy and the role of elected representatives in managing Waqf affairs.
Mehbooba’s statement adds to the discussion over how religious institutions should be administered and who should have a say in determining the content of sermons delivered in mosques across the Union Territory.
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