Osmani promises mainstreaming unregistered mosque

KABUL and religious affairs minister-designate on Wednesday claimed more than 90 percent of mosques in the country were unregistered and bringing them to the mainstream would be among his priorities.

President Ashraf Ghani introduced 24 ministers-designate and nominees for the National Directorate of Security (NDS Bank (DAB) heads to the parliament on Tuesday for a vote of confidence.

One of nominees who unveiled their plans in the lower house today, Faiz Mohammad Osmani said the ministry was the main organ managing religious affairs in the country and a bridge between scholars and government.

If endorsed, he would do his best to bridge the existing gap which, in turn, would have a positive impact on stability, efforst at promoting education, respect for human rights and containing graft.

“If approved, I will rebuild the ministry infrastructure and develop specific strategies for each department for national and international communications to avoid responsibility overlap.”

Having 90 percent unregistered mosques and religious centres in the country is a source of concern to Osmani, who promised giving special attention to improving the income and living conditions of ulema.

Developing Islamic research centres, creating a single source of issuing religious fatwas on matters of national importance, providing better religious programmes for students, building a central mosque in each province and facilities for hajj pilgrims are his other programmes.

Osmani was born in 1973 in Kunduz province and belongs to Turkmen ethnicity. He has graduated from Zahedan’s Islamic Studies Centre in Iran and has a social science degree from the Kabul Education University.

hg/mud

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