Waqf property income rises 23% to BD5.4mln last year

TDT | Manama

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A rise of 23 per cent in Waqf property income, reaching more than BD5.4 million last year, was disclosed in Parliament yesterday.

Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf Minister, His Ex Nawaf Al Maawda, defended the management of the Sunni Waqf Directorate amid questions about unused properties and staff wages.

He said 85 per cent of the flats managed by the directorate were currently occupied, with the remaining 15 per cent vacant.

“These are normal figures for any investment,” he told MPs.

Employee

Responding to a question from MP Mohammed Al Rifai, he added: “The employee mentioned is not responsible for just one building. He is following up on several projects and also handling maintenance and development.”

He said all tenders were opened through an internal committee.

“We deal with all applicants with full transparency,” he said.

Lack of detail MP Al Rifai criticised what he described as a lack of detail in the response.

“There are abandoned and unlet properties under the Sunni Waqf,” he said. “Some are handled by more than one employee even though the sites are near each other, and each employee is paid around BD2,000.” He also voiced concern that some of the properties may be vulnerable to theft.

Website

In response to a separate question from MP Muneer Suroor, the minister said: “The Jaafari Waqf Directorate has a website through which all affiliated properties and endowments are displayed.”

He said this aimed to make information more accessible and to ensure transparency.

He acknowledged difficulties with parking and overcrowding around mosques, saying: “There is a joint study with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning to address these challenges and find solutions suited to each area.”