Impact of Siasat’s report: One year salary of Makkah Masjid’s imam released

Hyderabad: After a report in Siasat dated July 16 about the apathy of the officials concerning the slow pace of repair and renovation work and nonpayment of the Imams salaries for 16 months, the officials have released one year’s salaries to Imam.

After the Siasat report, the Secretary Minority Welfare Ahmed Nadeem obtained the relevant details and the Director Minority Affairs Sahhnawaz Qasim took personal interest to release cheque of one year’s salaries amounting to Rs.2,17,338 to Imam from the Maintenance Fund.

The Director, Minority Welfare informed that the service extension file of the Imam is currently with the Finance Department. Meanwhile, the Director said that the Imam’s salaries can be paid from the Maintenance Fund. The authorities assured that the pending salaries of the Imam shall also be released soon.

The Director, Minority Affairs told the Finance Department to expedite the file regarding Imams service extension for another three years.

Meanwhile, the Imam of Mecca masjid and the devotees have expressed their gratitude to the Siasat for its report which spurred the officials to release the salaries.

The mosque employees further requested the government to solve the pending issues including the increase in their salaries and appointment on the vacant posts. The devotees appealed the authorities to complete the repair and renovation work before the commencement of Holy Ramzan.