Lahore: Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Kheal Das Kohistani on Monday said the government would take effective measures to resolve the administrative and legal issues facing the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in line with the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He made these remarks during a visit to the ETPB headquarters, where he was briefed by Chairman Qamar-uz-Zaman and senior officials about the board’s administrative, financial and development affairs.
The minister said the ETPB was performing an important role in preserving, renovating and maintaining historic temples, gurdwaras and other religious heritage sites, besides facilitating pilgrims visiting Pakistan from around the world.
Chairman Qamar-uz-Zaman informed the minister that the absence of a fully constituted board was creating difficulties in effectively managing administrative affairs. He also highlighted financial challenges, and said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had deducted Rs2 billion in taxes from the trust’s accounts, adversely affecting the board’s annual income and financial position.
Kheal Das assured the officials that issues relating to the board’s status as a trust institution, including tax deductions and other administrative challenges, would be addressed through effective and sustainable measures to further strengthen the institution and improve services for religious minorities.
During the briefing, ETPB Secretary Nasir Mushtaq said restoration and renovation work was under way at Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh in Peshawar, Gurdwara Bhai Karam Singh in Jhelum, Gurdwara Panja Sahib and Baoli Mandir in Narowal. He added that a comprehensive master plan was also being prepared for the restoration of Sadhu Bela Temple in Sukkur. The secretary said the board had introduced modern technologies, including satellite imagery, e-office, online billing, geo-tagging, a Management Information System (MIS) and digital solutions in collaboration with SUPARCO to improve governance and service delivery.
He further said the ETPB had launched an effective campaign against land grabbers and successfully retrieved several valuable trust properties from illegal occupants.