Shopkeepers protest Waqf Board’s action at Auqaf Market

Srinagar: Scores of shopkeepers at Auqaf Market in city centre staged protest against sealing of shops by the Waqf board

Firdous Ahmad, who heads Auqaf Market, said the Waqf officials sealed six shops in the market late Wednesday evening.

“The whole market was closed when the officials sealed the shops. It was done in an illegal manner as the case pertaining to payment of rent is still sub-judice. Today, all the shopkeepers staged a peaceful protest against this move,” Firdous said.

Firdous said that in 2015, the rent was revised after a notice was shot by the officials. He said during the PDP-BJP government, the rent was revised as per an agreement.

“After the agreement with the Waqf Board, there was a hike from 2018. The rent was hiked by five percent each year. Unfortunately, since last year the Waqf Board has been asking for a huge hike in rent again. If someone was paying Rs 2500 as rent per month, he is asked to pay around Rs 13,000. The matter is sub-judice ,” Firdous added.

The shopkeepers said that the court, in a recent interim order, asked them to pay 50 percent of the rent that is in the negotiation.

“But as the matter is still in court, the Waqf officials, without any court order, sealed their shops,” shopkeepers said.

The aggrieved shopkeepers said that over 200 families depend on this market, and they want authorities to de-seal the shops.