SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, Mar 12: Over a month after Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) revealed on its website that a Kashmir-based non-governmental organization (NGO) had received a whopping amount of Rs 1 crore as financial assistance from the bank, sources have revealed that the lesser known NGO namely Society for Promotion of Culture and Education is run by none other than the wife of state Congress chief and MP, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, and ex-Director of School Education, Mumtaz-un-Nisa.
The NGO has received the financial aid of US$ 185,000 under special assistance projects from IDB’s Waqaf Fund (formerly the Special Assistance Account) for the construction of school.
The NGO, according to the sources, is actually registered in Baramulla district, but it operates in central Kashmir's Budgam district - one of the most educationally backward districts in Jammu and Kashmir, with its head office at Humhama in Budgam district.
When contacted, District Development Commissioner Budgam, Mohammad Rafi, said that the district administration has not been able to trace the details of this organization.
“We checked all the records, by could not find any clue about this particular NGO,” Rafi said.
Interestingly, the same NGO is running Delhi Public School (DPS), a B-Ed college namely Kashmir School of Education Research and Training, Bright Horizon Higher Secondary School - all in Budgam district.
The NGO, according to the sources, intends to establish a 100-bed girls hostel at Humhama. The organisation is also working in collaboration with another NGO for promotion of Urdu language.
Pertinently, the IDB’s special assistance Waqf (Trust) programme is aimed at fostering economic development ad social progress of Muslim communities in non-member countries, with special focus on education and health sectors.
When contacted, Mumtaz-un-Nisa confirmed that she was running an NGO namely Society for Promotion of Culture and Education.
She also confirmed that the NGO had received financial assistance from IDB.
“I have received the funds, but it is in lakhs. The IDB team had recently visited Kashmir and they appreciated the work our NGO has done," she said. "We have received the financial assistance under Foreign Contribution Regulatory Act (FCRA) and with proper knowledge of Ministry of Home Affairs."
“To be honest, I did not approach any organisation for financial help. My only concern is with JK Bank. We have taken loan of Rs 5 crore from the bank,” she added.
The IDB is an international financial institution established in December 1973. The purpose of the bank, with 56 member countries, is to foster the economic development and social progress of member countries and Muslim communities individually as well as jointly “in accordance with the principles of Shari'ah (Islamic Law)”.
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