LAHORE: The Punjab government has approved a monthly stipend for the imams of 65,000 mosques across the province, recognizing their vital role in society and the need to ensure their financial stability.
The decision was finalized during a law and order review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, her fifth consecutive session on governance and administrative affairs.
Emphasizing the importance of supporting religious leaders, the chief minister said imams deserve both respect and economic security. She added that it is the state’s duty, not the public’s, to ensure their financial well-being.
“It is inappropriate to rely on public donations to pay mosque imams,” Maryam Nawaz stated, stressing that the government must take responsibility for their support. The new stipend program aims to provide steady assistance to imams serving in both urban and rural areas of Punjab.
The meeting also decided to incorporate mosque construction and renovation projects into the province’s Annual Development Programme (ADP). The chief minister instructed relevant departments to ensure early completion of these initiatives, noting that mosques serve as both spiritual and community hubs that require proper upkeep.
Additionally, the roads leading to the Raiwind Tableeghi Ijtima have been upgraded under CM Maryam Nawaz’s directives. A special bus service will also operate during the gathering, supported by comprehensive security arrangements to ensure smooth proceedings.
In other decisions, the meeting approved the creation of a cybercrime cell to combat emerging digital threats and enhance online law enforcement capabilities.
The chief minister also ordered strict enforcement of the Punjab Loudspeaker Act, directing authorities to act firmly against the unauthorized use of loudspeakers to preserve public order and communal harmony.
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