According to details, the Department of Religious Affairs and Non-Religious Mosques and Imam Bargahs have replaced the 1986 rules with the 2023 rules. According to the new rules, no controversial speeches can be made in mosques and Imam Bargahs in the federal capital Islamabad.
Under the rules, mosque committees will be supervised by a recognized religious scholar or a pre-existing trustee. All unregistered committees, except for administrative registration, will be considered dissolved. A Waqf manager will be appointed to enforce the laws, and no individual included in Schedule Four will remain as a Waqf manager.
Under the new rules, any person involved in a lawsuit cannot lead the mosque committee, and in the absence of a mosque manager, the Chief Administrator will appoint one. Applications for the establishment of a new mosque can be submitted to the Chief Administrator, and a special committee will be formed for more than one request for mosque construction at one place. Objections to the committee\’s decisions will be submitted to the Islamabad Commissioner within 15 days.
Under the rules, a request will be made to the Chief Commissioner for action against illegal activities by mosque managers. Action will be taken within three months of the request, and a new manager will be appointed. No Friday sermon or speech can be given without the permission of the mosque manager.
