Waqf in Pakistan: Rebirth of a Traditional Institution

Abstract

Awqāf are undergoing a process of rebirth in Pakistan. Public awqāf are strictly regulated by the State in Pakistan because of their entrenchment with the politics of pirs (spiritual guides). While private awqāf, though relatively lightly regulated, are economically inefficient because of the doctrine of perpetuity. Therefore, most philanthropic activities in contemporary Pakistan take place in the form of various English law institutions such as registered societies, trusts, and not-for-profit corporations. Still, a large number of awqāf properties exists not only as symbols of past practices but religious institutions such as mosques, religious schools (madaris), shrines (dargahs), and graveyards (janazagahs) continue to be established as awqāf. During the post-colonial period in Pakistan, awqāf have also attracted attention for revival for poverty alleviation as part of microfinance. Several initiatives have been taken to develop endowment funds based on waqf model to provide enterprising poor access to finance. This paper explores the current practice of awqāf in Pakistan within its stringent regulatory regime for awqāf. The focus of this paper is on Hamdard Waqf and Ihsan Waqf which present innovative use of the traditional structure of waqf to provide various charitable and welfare services.