Dr. Kamaal Slams PDP for Undermining Waqf Autonomy, Blames Mufti Syed for State Takeover of Auqaf in J&K
Srinagar, April 10 (PTK): Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Additional General Secretary Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the PDP, accusing it of dismantling the traditional autonomy of the Auqaf-e-Islamia system in Jammu and Kashmir and replacing it with state-controlled mechanisms that undermined community participation.
In a statement issued from Nawa-e-Subha, the party headquarters, Dr. Kamaal said that it was Mufti Mohammad Syed, during his tenure, who first eroded the independence of Waqf institutions by transitioning their management into a government-nominated trust structure. He said this shift placed major shrines, associated assets, and religious institutions under direct government control, led by the Chief Minister and trustees appointed by the General Administration Department (GAD).
“This move marked the beginning of increased state control over religious affairs, eliminating the previous system that involved community-driven governance and institutional autonomy,” Dr. Kamaal said.
He further argued that the downfall of Jammu and Kashmir’s Waqf system accelerated post-August 5, 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370 and the extension of the Central Waqf Act, 1995 to the Union Territory. Under the new arrangement, the Waqf Board came under the purview of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and long-serving mutawallis—traditional caretakers of shrines and mosques—were removed.
“These mutawallis were not just administrators but also spiritual and community anchors, having managed these religious spaces for generations. Their removal has severed vital communal ties,” he noted.
Dr. Kamaal also expressed concern over the 2025 Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that it aims to abolish the concept of ‘waqf by user’, which historically granted legal status to religious properties continuously used by the community, even without formal documentation. “This change threatens the future of centuries-old religious endowments, particularly in Kashmir, where much of the Waqf land falls under this category,” he warned.
He emphasized that thousands of families depend on Waqf assets for their survival, including farmers, shopkeepers, and employees of schools, orphanages, and charitable institutions funded by Waqf.
“PDP’s decision to strip the Waqf system of its autonomy has had far-reaching and damaging consequences. The current distress being faced by many is rooted in the party’s past choices. It’s time for honest introspection and for policies that restore community rights and religious integrity,” Dr. Kamaal concluded. (PTK)
