PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs, Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan Qadri, has directed tenants of commercial properties under the Auqaf Department to clear their outstanding rent bills within one week. Non-compliance will lead to legal action, including the eviction of defaulters.
These directives were issued during a high-level meeting chaired by the minister on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Auqaf Administrator Yousaf Ali and managers from the department.
The minister was briefed that tenants had been issued rent bills totaling Rs. 120 million, but only Rs. 10 million had been recovered so far.
A significant portion of arrears remains unpaid, despite the Peshawar High Court’s directives urging tenants to negotiate with the Auqaf Department.
Minister Adnan Qadri expressed dissatisfaction over the situation, stressing that tenants’ disregard for court orders was unacceptable. He urged field officers and department staff to implement an effective strategy for recovering outstanding amounts, warning that disciplinary action would be taken against staff failing to meet recovery targets.
The Auqaf Department is responsible for managing endowments and commercial properties used to fund religious and welfare activities, making the recovery of dues vital for its operations.