AISPLB seeks Sachar Committee-style panel to assess Shia Muslims’ condition

AISPLB seeks Sachar Committee-style panel to assess Shia Muslims’ condition
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The All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) has urged the central government to establish a committee similar to the 2005 Sachar Committee to study the socio-economic status of Shia Muslims, citing their underrepresentation in welfare schemes meant for the Muslim community.

According to Hindustan Times, the demand was raised during the board’s executive meeting held on Saturday at Shia College in Lucknow, chaired by Maulana Syed Saem Mehdi Naqvi, who was also re-elected as chairman for another term.

General secretary Maulana Yasoob Abbas said that Shias remain “a minority within a minority” and are often excluded from benefits extended to Muslims. He also warned that “efforts are being made to disturb communal harmony and the Ganga-Jamuni culture by targeting a particular religion,” urging strict government action against hate campaigns.

The meeting further discussed concerns over Waqf properties, calling for the withdrawal of the Waqf Amendment Act 2025, which members described as interference in religious and personal matters.

Maulana Ejaz Athar raised allegations of corruption in the Hussainabad and Allied Trust and urged greater transparency and preservation of Lucknow’s historic Shia landmarks, including Bada Imambara, Chhota Imambara, and Shahnajaf.