SRINAGAR, India: India‘s parliament on Wednesday began discussing a controversial proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government to amend laws governing Muslim land endowments in the country.
The bill would add non-Muslims to boards that manage waqf land endowments and give the government a larger role in validating their land holdings.
The government says the changes will help to fight corruption and mismanagement while promoting diversity, but critics fear that it will further undermine the rights of the country’s Muslim minority and could be used to confiscate historic mosques and other property from them.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the Waqf Amendment Bill on Wednesday, which would reform a 1995 law that set rules for the foundations and set up state-level boards to administer them.
Debate in the parliament’s Lower House is expected to be heated as the Congress-led opposition is firmly against the proposal. Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party does not have a majority but may be able to depends on allies to pass the bill. Both BJP and the Congress have asked their lawmakers to be present in the House.
If passed, the bill will need to clear the Upper House before it is sent to President Droupadi Murmu for her assent to become a law.
Many Muslim groups as well as the opposition parties say the proposal is discriminatory, politically motivated and an attempt by Modi’s ruling party to weaken the minority rights.
The controversial bill was first introduced in parliament last year, but was later sent to a committee of lawmakers for discussion after opposition parties raised concerns. The committee’s report was tabled in both houses of parliament on Feb. 13 amid protests by opposition leaders who said that their inputs were ignored. The government claims that opposition parties are using rumors to discredit them and block transparency in managing the endowments.
What’s a waqf?
Waqfs are a traditional type of Islamic charitable foundation in which a donor permanently sets aside property — often but not always real estate — for religious or charitable purposes.
Waqfs in India control 872,000 properties that cover 405,000 hectares (1 million acres) of land, worth an estimated $14.22 billion. Some of these endowments date back centuries, and many are used for mosques, seminaries, graveyards and orphanages.
Law would change who runs waqfs
In India, waqf property is managed by semi-official boards, one for each of the country’s states and federally-run union territories. The law would require non-Muslims to be appointed to the boards.
Currently, waqf boards are staffed by Muslims, like similar bodies that help administer other religious charities.
One of the most controversial amendments is the change to ownership rules, which potentially could impact historical mosques, shrines and graveyards under the waqf. It could change the ownership rules of many of these properties which lack formal documentation as they were donated without legal records decades, and sometimes, even centuries ago.
Questions about title
Other changes could impact historic mosques, whose land is often held in centuries-old waqfs.
Hindu radical groups have targeted mosques across the country and laid claim to several of them, arguing they are built on the ruins of important Hindu temples. Many such cases are pending in courts.
The law would require waqf boards to seek approval from a district level officer to confirm waqfs’ claims to property.
Critics say that would undermine the board and could lead to Muslims being stripped of their land. It’s not clear how often the boards would be asked to confirm such claims to land.
Fears among Muslims
While many Muslims agree that waqfs suffer from corruption, encroachments and poor management, they also fear that the new law could give India’s Hindu nationalist government far greater control over Muslim properties, particularly at a time when attacks against the minority communities have become more aggressive under Modi, with Muslims often targeted for everything from their food and clothing styles to inter-religious marriages.
Last month, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom said in its annual report that religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate while Modi and his party “propagated hateful rhetoric and disinformation against Muslims and other religious minorities” during last year’s election campaign.
Modi’s government says India is run on democratic principles of equality and no discrimination exists in the country.
Muslims, which make 14 percent of India’s 1.4 billion population, are the largest minority group in the Hindu-majority nation but they are also the poorest, a 2013 government survey found.
Indian government tables bill to take over centuries-old waqf management from Muslims
https://arab.news/4b3w4
Indian government tables bill to take over centuries-old waqf management from Muslims
- The bill would add non-Muslims to boards that manage waqf land endowments and give the government a larger role in validating their land holdings
- The government says the changes will help to fight corruption and mismanagement while promoting diversity
Sindh CM condemns killing of Pakistanis in Iran, calls it bid to harm bilateral ties
- Local media widely reported the killings of eight Pakistani nationals in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province
- So far, Pakistan’s foreign office or other federal authorities have not issued any statement on the incident
KARACHI: Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, on Saturday condemned the killings of Pakistani nationals in Iran, calling it an attempt to undermine relations between the two countries, as local media widely reported the killing of eight Pakistani workers in Sistan-Baluchestan.
So far, no statement has been issued by Pakistan’s foreign ministry or other federal authorities. The country’s embassy in Tehran has also not made any comments on the record, although local broadcaster Geo News quoted unnamed diplomatic sources as confirming the incident.
In a statement issued by his office, Shah condemned the attack and expressed grief over the killings.
“This is a heinous and despicable incident, and we condemn it,” he said. “The attack is an attempt by mutual enemies to damage Pakistan-Iran relations.”
The chief minister urged the Iranian government to take action against those responsible for the incident.
“There must be an immediate investigation and accountability of those involved,” he continued.
“Those who shed the blood of innocent people are open enemies of humanity.”
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan’s Khaama Press News Agency reported the attack took place in the early hours of the day in a village in Mehrestan district, located near the Iran-Pakistan border.
The outlet said the victims were auto mechanics.
However, the separatist Balochistan National Army (BNA) claimed responsibility for the attack later in the day, alleging that the slain workers were members of Pakistan’s premier spy agency.
Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has faced a low-level insurgency for nearly two decades.
Baloch separatist groups accuse the central government of exploiting the region’s natural resources, such as gold and copper, without benefiting the local population.
Islamabad denies the allegations, saying it is committed to improving the lives of Baloch residents through various development projects.
Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly from economically disadvantaged regions, frequently cross into Iran to take up informal work in sectors such as vehicle repair, construction and agriculture.
In January last year, nine Pakistani laborers were killed and three critically injured in a similar attack in Saravan city, also located in Iran’s southeastern border region.
The victims in that case had also been working at an auto repair shop.
The killings last year took place at a time when Pakistan and Iran were trying to mend diplomatic ties following tit-for-tat missile and drone strikes.
Oscar Piastri on pole in Bahrain for his 50th F1 start
- Russell alongside on front row for Mercedes
- Leclerc qualifies third, Antonelli fourth
SAKHIR, Bahrain: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took pole position in Bahrain ahead of his 50th Formula One start with George Russell putting his Mercedes alongside the Australian on the front row for Sunday’s race.
Piastri’s championship-leading teammate Lando Norris qualified only sixth, a potentially significant blow in the title battle although closest rival Max Verstappen will start seventh for Red Bull.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified third and Mercedes’ Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli fourth with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly fifth.
Piastri, who was also fastest in two out of three practice sessions, lapped the floodlit Sakhir circuit with a best time of one minute 29.841 seconds, 0.168 faster than Russell. The pole was his second of the season and his career.
“I’ve felt confident out there pretty much all weekend,” said Piastri, who has a great chance to slash the 13-point championship gap to Norris — who leads Verstappen by just one after three races.
“The others caught up a little bit closer than what I wanted but I still delivered the laps when it mattered, which was the most important thing at the end.”
Russell said he was shocked to finish so close to Piastri after struggling for grip in the afternoon’s final practice.
“I think if anybody said we’d have been within half a second of the McLarens we’d have taken it because we would have thought that would have been P3 on the grid. So to be second on the grid is a bonus,” he said.
“So lining up P2 is a great chance for tomorrow, but I think being realistic it will be a challenge to fight with Oscar.”
Carlos Sainz qualified eighth for Williams with Ferrari’s seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton ninth and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda 10th.
It was the first time this season that both Red Bulls had reached the final top 10 shootout.
Esteban Ocon crashed his Haas in the second phase, triggering red flags after he careered backwards across the gravel into the barriers.
The Frenchman said he was OK but took his time clambering out and was taken away in the medical car.
Australian rookie Jack Doohan qualified his Alpine 11th, his best qualifying session yet, and one place ahead of Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar.
Alex Albon failed to make it through the opening phase for the first time this season, the Williams driver qualifying only 16th.
Albon was then promoted to 15th — but too late to continue in the session — when Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg had his lap deleted.
Hadjar’s teammate Liam Lawson, demoted from Red Bull to Racing Bulls after the opening two races, had another difficult evening and was only 17th fastest.
Markram, Pooran lead Lucknow Super Giants to IPL win over Gujarat Titans
Chasing 181 for victory on a sluggish pitch, Markram shared partnerships of 65 with fellow-opener Rishabh Pant and 58 with the left-handed Pooran as Lucknow achieved the target with three balls to spare at their home in Ekana Stadium.
Markram hit 58 and Pooran smashed 61 to end Gujarat’s winning streak of four matches in this edition of the T20 tournament.
Gujarat dropped a place down from the top of the 10-team table with Lucknow behind in third with four wins from six matches.
West Indies’ Pooran struck his fourth half-ton to go past Gujarat opener Sai Sudharsan as the leading batter with 349 runs; Sudharsan has 329.
South Africa’s Markram set the platform for the chase as he stepped up in the absence of his in-form opening partner Mitchell Marsh, who missed the match due to the illness of his daughter.
Skipper Pant opened the batting with Markram but failed to strike form despite an early reprieve when Gujarat wicketkeeper Jos Buttler dropped a catch down the leg side.
The left-handed Pant hit four boundaries before he lofted fast bowler Prasidh Krishna to deep third man, falling for 21 from 18 balls.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Pant is still waiting to justify his record auction price of $3.21 million as he has only managed 40 runs in five innings.
Markram stood strong to raise his second fifty at the venue and hit back with Pooran as the two smashed regular boundaries.
Krishna dismissed Markram but there was no stopping Pooran who hammered his fifty in 23 balls.
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan finally sent back Pooran caught at long-on but the batter had done the damage with one four and seven sixes in his 34-ball knock.
Spinner Washington Sundar bowled David Miller for seven to keep Gujarat in the hunt for a miracle when they went into the final over needing to defend six.
Impact substitute Ayush Badoni hit an unbeaten 28 and sealed the win with a four and six.
The Lucknow bowlers set up victory when they restricted Gujarat to 180-6 after the hosts elected to field first.
Sudharsan, who made 56, and skipper Shubman Gill, who hit 60, put on 120 runs for the opening wicket but the rest of the batting faltered.
Gujarat lost wickets regularly and lost their way against a disciplined Lucknow attack.
Medium-pacer Shardul Thakur and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets each as they choked Gujarat in the middle overs.
Punjab CM invites Turkish universities to expand footprint in Pakistan at Antalya Diplomacy Forum
- Maryam Nawaz Sharif meets President Erdoğan and First Lady before addressing a session on education
- She says the provincial administration is committed to education and opportunities for women and children
ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Saturday invited leading Turkish universities to expand their footprint in Pakistan’s most populous province while addressing a session focused on education at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025.
The annual forum, now in its fourth edition, is hosted under the patronage of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and aims to foster dialogue and cooperation on pressing global issues. This year’s theme, “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World,” has drawn world leaders, diplomats and civil society actors to discuss solutions to global challenges, including education, conflict and development.
Before her address, Sharif met with Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan. The Turkish president warmly welcomed and thanked her for participating in the forum.
“I take this opportunity to invite the top universities of Türkiye to expand their presence in Punjab, to create more centers of eminence, more centers of excellence where our youth can learn, grow and lead,” she said while addressing the gathering.
“Let us ensure that our collaboration and exchange programs become the foundation for a brighter, human-centric future, a future that both Pakistanis and Turkish generations will be proud to inherit,” she added.
The Punjab chief minister emphasized her provincial government’s commitment to transforming education landscape.
She outlined several reform initiatives, including the upgradation of more than 4,000 primary schools into elementary schools to combat generational dropouts, particularly in rural areas where children often leave school after Class 5 due to the absence of nearby middle schools.
“This upgradation is not a token gesture. It is a systemic intervention,” she said, adding that digital learning rooms were also being established in over 6,000 schools across the province to integrate technology with pedagogy.
Sharif also spoke of reviving non-functional schools and turning them into “sanctuaries of learning,” while highlighting a new nutrition program launched in underserved districts to address malnutrition among schoolchildren, especially girls.
“My government’s foremost commitment is to women and children, to education and opportunity, and to dignity and justice,” she said. “And it is in these arenas that I seek to construct a unique model of governance that is both ethical and effective.”
The chief minister further announced the creation of Pakistan’s first Artificial Intelligence University in Lahore and the development of the Nawaz Sharif Internet City, a hub intended to foster innovation and IT-based learning that is named after her father.
“We are recruiting about 30,000 new school teachers entirely on merit,” she informed, noting that the province had also established a dedicated institution for teacher training and curriculum development aligned with 21st-century learning goals.
Sharif positioned herself during the speech not only as a political leader but also as “an ambassador of education,” vowing to ensure that “no child is left behind due to poverty, geography, gender or social restrictions.”
Majid Al-Futtaim expands luxury retail footprint in region
Majid Al-Futtaim has announced an ambitious expansion of its luxury retail portfolio for 2025. Following a record-breaking 2024, which saw a 26 percent growth in its lifestyle business, the expansion will be anchored by renowned Italian brands Eleventy, Corneliani, and Poltrona Frau, with a series of store openings planned across key locations in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
As part of its strategic growth agenda, Majid Al-Futtaim will launch more than 30 new stores, spanning both luxury and high- street brands across the region. The expansion will include five standalone Eleventy stores, the regional debut of Corneliani, and the first Poltrona Frau store outside the UAE in Saudi Arabia.
Fahed Ghanim, CEO of Majid Al-Futtaim Lifestyle, said: “In a region where customers have an abundance of choice, our ambition is to curate a portfolio of luxury brands that offer something truly distinctive. By introducing brands like Eleventy, Corneliani, and Poltrona Frau, we are bringing new dimensions to the luxury market — combining timeless craftsmanship with modern sensibilities that resonate with the refined tastes of our customers.”
He added: “At Majid Al-Futtaim, our work with luxury brands has been deeply rooted in THAT Concept Store, which has been instrumental in identifying and nurturing brands with the potential to thrive in this market. Eleventy’s journey, from its initial shop-in-shop to standalone stores, is a testament to how we test, scale, and grow global luxury brands. This strategic approach allows us to continuously evolve the luxury retail experience, delivering fresh, distinctive offerings that resonate with our customers.”
The five standalone Eleventy stores opening in key locations this year include Solitaire Mall in Saudi Arabia, Mall of the Emirates, Marsa Al-Arab, which all open this month, with Dubai Mall and The Grove in the UAE to follow later in the year. This growth builds on Eleventy’s successful presence in the region, which includes a shop-in-shop at THAT Concept Store, a pop-up at Mall of the Emirates, and its first standalone location in Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, which opened in November 2024.
Majid Al-Futtaim is further strengthening its partnership with Poltrona Frau, the iconic Italian luxury furniture brand, by introducing its first store in the region outside the UAE at Centria Mall, Riyadh, in May. Poltrona Frau achieved remarkable success in 2024, with its revenue increasing fivefold following the launch of its second UAE store at Mall of the Emirates
Italian luxury menswear brand Corneliani also made its regional store debut in April at Solitaire Mall in the Kingdom. Corneliani is one of Italy’s oldest independent luxury brands, renowned for its meticulous craftsmanship and presence in more than 70 countries.
Marco Baldassari, co-founder and menswear creative director at Eleventy, said: “Eleventy’s philosophy of understated elegance and commitment to sustainability resonates strongly with the sophisticated Middle Eastern consumer. We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Majid Al-Futtaim, whose visionary approach to luxury retail is shaping a new vision with a growing focus on customer needs. Together, we aim to redefine luxury retail by offering timeless craftsmanship, sustainable practices, and innovative experiences.”
Nicola Coropulis, CEO of Poltrona Frau, said: “Since partnering with Majid Al-Futtaim more than two years ago, we have focused on strategic growth and elevating the customer experience across the region. The revitalization of our flagship store in Jumeirah and our successful debut at Mall of the Emirates have been key milestones in our journey. We are now excited to bring this momentum to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with our first store in Riyadh, further solidifying our presence in the GCC and expanding our reach in this dynamic market.”
Majid Al-Futtaim’s expansion in luxury retail builds on a record-breaking 2024, which saw a 26 percent increase in revenue across its portfolio and a 31 percent surge in digital sales. The year also marked the opening of 17 new stores across the region, bringing the total to 87 stores, including flagship locations for brands such as lululemon, Psycho Bunny, Shiseido, Crate and Barrel, and CB2, alongside 27 e-commerce platforms. Looking ahead, 2025 is set to be another milestone year for its lifestyle business, with plans to open 30 new stores across the region, including seven in Saudi Arabia — a key priority market for the group.
