HYDERABAD: Despite the TS Wakf Board officials claim of complying with the “Mansha-e-Waqf” (for the purpose of donating the property for community good) for all the properties, the Ahmed Shareef Library in Haj House fails to meet with the requirement.
The Ahmed Shareef Library is situated on the first floor of the Haj House. The original building was constructed on the land parcel belonging to Razaaq Manzil.
The property was endowed with the board with the desire by the donor that the board would run a library for public reading.
The library existed on the land before the new building came up, which was named Haj House, apart from accommodating pilgrims bound for the Haj pilgrimage, has offices of various minority welfare departments, including the Haj Committee, the TS Urdu Academy, the Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation and the TS Wakf Board.
“In fact, the library, for the sake of existing, functions from a small hall on the first floor. The collection has both Persian and Urdu books dating back about two centuries.
“But the library personnel themselves are not versed in the topics as they are not familiar with the languages,” informed Mohd Ilyas Shamshi, a social activist.
Any property endowed with the Wakf Board with a ‘Mansha-e-Wakf’, is for the common benefit of the public or for a specific category or purpose. “Imagine, the TS Wakf Board itself is unable to properly fulfill the criteria of the building where its own office is functioning!” lamented Abdul Moiz, another social activist.
Advisor to Government on Minority Affairs, A.K. Khan said that they planned to handover the maintenance of the library to the TS Urdu Academy, after taking up the issue with the TS Wakf Board.
“The library needs to be upgraded as it facilitates students and job seekers. Soon a decision will be taken in this regard,” said Mr Khan.
