The monthly rent of commercial shops, houses and offices located in the business centers of Lahore, especially in areas like Anarkali and Neela Gumbad, is at least Rs0.1 to Rs0.2 million for a one to two marla area.

Surprisingly, in the same areas, there are the properties of the Punjab Auqaf Department and other state departments, which are given on rent for just a few thousand rupees.

Several properties of the Punjab Auqaf Department in the Jallo Mor area of Lahore have been rented by local shopkeepers for many years; however, the tenants of these properties only pay a few thousand rupees to the government per month even though they collect a much larger amount themselves from their own lessees.

Such a situation is not only seen in Lahore but in all districts of Punjab, where the properties of the Punjab Auqaf and other government departments, including shops, residential houses and agricultural land worth billions of rupees, are often given on rent at measly rates.

Civil society representative and lawyer, Abdullah Malik believed that the rents of government properties should also be according to the market value but unfortunately, this does not happen.

“The rents of the properties of the Evacuee Trust Property Board, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Auqaf Department and other departments are very low compared to the market rate.

In fact, many properties are occupied. For instance, there are many tenants in the Shah Chirag Building adjacent to the Lahore High Court on Mall Road who may not even pay rent. These properties should be auctioned, and their lease period also needs to be reduced,” said Malik.

According to the details received by Express Tribune, the notified area of Punjab Auqaf Organization is more than 74,964 acres, of which 29,907 acres five kanals and 11 marlas are cultivable while 45,056 acres, four kanals and three marlas are uncultivable.

Similarly, there are 1,426 residential houses, 6,179 shops and 590 other properties, all of which have been given on monthly rent/lease by the department.

Although these properties should have an annual rent amounting to Rs568,368,000, during 2024, the department was able to collect only Rs330,231,547 since the rents of these properties are less than the market value.

The rent of shops attached to Jamia Masjid Neela Gumbad is Rs100 per square foot, while the rent for shops in Jamia Masjid Hanafia Farooqia Islampura is Rs65 per square foot.

Similarly, the rent of shops in Jamia Masjid Peshawari is Rs130 per square foot, and in Jamia Masjid Tajdara Ambia Sabzazar, it is Rs150 per square foot.

Likewise, the rent of properties at Jamia Masjid Madina Purani Anarkali is Rs150 per square foot while the rent of shops at Jamia Masjid Aali Nawan Kot is Rs60 per square foot.

Punjab Auqaf Secretary Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari claimed that the rents of the Waqf properties were in accordance with the rates fixed by the concerned Deputy Commissioner/District Administration however, they wanted to bring the rents of these properties up to the market value. “Proposals in this regard have been prepared and sent to the provincial cabinet. Similarly, land in some cities will be leased under public-private partnerships,” informed Dr Bukhari.

Reportedly, Punjab Auqaf has now decided to fix the rents of its properties according to the market rate, with 25 per cent imposed every three years and new rents after six years.