By Bilal Habib
Pampore, September 6: The President of Idara Auqaf Islamia Trust (IAIT) Pampore, Mohammad Maqbool Shah, on Saturday held a press conference at Khankah-e-Aaliya in Pampore, warning that the Auqaf Committee, together with civil society organizations, will take matters into their own hands if the government fails to repair the Jhelum river embankments within a month.
Shah highlighted the persistent flood threat in Pampore, recalling the devastating 2014 floods and pointing out that no meaningful repairs have been carried out in the 11 years since. He said the embankments have weakened further over time, with the section near Dewatering Station Drangbal now showing visible cracks. “If it rains for two consecutive days, Pampore will once again face flooding, threatening homes, businesses, and agricultural land,” he said.
While refraining from blaming any specific official or political representative, Shah urged authorities to take immediate action. “Through the media, we appeal to the authorities that if no work is started within one month, we will coordinate with civil society groups and raise funds to reconstruct the river bunds ourselves,” he said.
Shah outlined a plan for mobilizing local support, suggesting that contributions from shopkeepers, households, and organizations could generate enough funds to carry out the repair work. “If we collect Rs 1,000 each from 200 shopkeepers, that will make Rs 20 lakh. Contributions from households could raise another Rs 30–40 lakh. This will be sufficient to rebuild the embankments and safeguard the people of Pampore,” he explained.
He also referred to past collaborative efforts during the 2014 floods, when IAIT worked with Muslim Baitulmal, Yateem Trust, Shahi Hamdan Memorial Trust, Muslim Education Trust, and Jamiat Ahlihadith to provide relief to affected residents. Shah emphasized that the current initiative aims to prevent floods before they occur, and reiterated that if the government fails to act within a month, the committee and associated organizations will undertake the task themselves to protect Pampore’s residents.
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