At present, the unpaid electricity bills of the 83 mosques stand at Rs8.388 million, including a surcharge of Rs1.332 million.
The mosques owe an amount of Rs6,317,467 to Iesco`s division 1, Rs2,063,120 to division 2 and Rs8,325 to its division 3. However, the mosque administrations are operating independently to avoid payment.
The capital administration proposed to the power utility that late payment surcharge should be waived and the mosques be allowed to pay the remaining amount in 60 installments of about Rs117,612 each.
According to the proposal, an amount of Rs1,417 will have to be paid by each mosque if they are allowed to pay the amount in installments.It was also stated that the maximum bill of the mosques during summer was Rs600,000 which decreased according to weather. The administration also said that keeping the availability of budget with the Auqaf Department in mind, the monthly installments may be paid from July.
Besides, the Auqaf Department was also asked to ensure that all the upcoming bills, after February, are paid on time to avoid any further penalties. Officials said Lal Masjid and Masjid Imam Sadiq at G-9/2 were the major defaulters of Iesco.
Meanwhile, the local administration also decided to generate revenue for the mosques to meet their financial requirements by reviewing the rent agreements of four shops at Masjid Shuhada in Aapara. The shops have been given on meager rents amounting to Rs8,000 to Rs10,000 each since long. The administration believed that Rs100,000 to Rs115,000 can be generated by renting out the shops under revised agreements.
Due to non-payment of the electricity bills, power supply to the mosques was disconnected on several occasions in the past. But each time, the local administration intervened and got the supply restored.
Last year, the administrators of mosques approached the city administration to resolve the issue. They also tried to get the bills waived or paid it through the Auqaf Department.
In response, the city administration approached the Finance Division through the Ministry of Interior seeking funds but the request was turned down.
Officials said the utility bills of the mosques kept on pilling up for the last two to three decades especially after policies were relaxed during the era of Gen Zia.
An official of the city administration said there was no writ of the state in the mosques despite the fact that they were built on government lands with taxpayers` money.
The administrations of the mosques are working independently and do not want government interference in their affairs. As a result, donations collected in the mosques, especially during Friday prayers, remained uncheck. They also do not want interference in appointment of prayer leaders, Moazens and members of the Masjid committees, the official added.
