Srinagar, July 26, KNT: Despite being properties of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, the two important universities of J&K are still under government control.
Wakaf Board has repeatedly reiterated that both these universities and its affiliated colleges are their properties and they will take control of them, but till date, both universities are being fully controlled and regulated by the government.
These two universities in question are the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) at Awantipora and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah (BGSB) University in Rajouri.
Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust came into existence by an Act of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly called the Jammu & Kashmir Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University Act No. XVI of 2002. The University is nurtured by the Jammu & Kashmir Wakf Council. Land and all other assistance for its creation were offered by the Wakaf Board.
Data reveals that over 200-250 Kanals of land on which IUST has been set up was donated by Wakf Board. Besides land, Wakf donated Rs 44 crore for the creation of this university at Awantipora.
Ironically, the government kept both universities out of the control of the Wakaf.
In response to a question under the Right to Information Act about the control of these two universities, the Wakaf has maintained silence.
An official from Wakaf Board on condition of anonymity said that both these universities are Wakaf properties but for reasons better known to the then J&K government, Wakaf Board was kept out and even it has no representation in both the boards of these universities. He, however, said that sooner or later, Wakaf will take control of these universities. [KNT]
