All India State Wakf Board conference on June 20

"The Wakf Boards across the country are facing financial crunch as large number of their property across the country are under encroachment", state Wakf Board chairman Gufran-e-Azam told reporters here today.

"Secondly, the Boards also need funds to pay salaries to Imams-Moazzin and also remuneration to divorced Muslim women as per the Supreme Court's decision", he said.

The conference will be attended by the all Wakf Board chairmen and chief executive officers across the country, including Wakf ministers from different states.

Referring to the problem of encroachment of Wakf properties in Madhya Pradesh, Azam said, nearly 85 per cent Wakf properties were under unauthorised occupation.

Despite court orders, the local administration failed to get them vacated from unauthorised occupants, causing huge loss of rent to the Wakf, he said.

To a question, Azam said if all these properties were freed from encroachment, the state Wakf Board will not need any grant to run its affairs.