Activist seeks nomination as woman member of Waqf Board

Lubna Sarwath holds a doctorate in Islamic Economics from Trisakti University in Jakarta

Ahead of the Telangana State Waqf Board (TSWB) polls which were scheduled on Monday, activist Lubna Sarwath sent a letter to the Telangana government, making a case for her to be nominated as a woman member of the board.

Ms Sarwath relied on the provision of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2013 which prescribes that the State government can nominate four persons of national eminence from the fields of “administration or management, financial management, engineering or architecture and medicine”. It further prescribes that of these four nominated members, at least two members should be women.

In a letter to the government, Ms Sarwath stated that she holds a doctorate in Islamic Economics from Trisakti University in Jakarta, Indonesia. She underscored that her work revolves around social issues and in areas such as public health, education, hygiene and nutrition.

“I assure and undertake, to use my services to the best of my capabilities for a turnaround of the Telangana State Waqf Board and Telangana society. I assure you of using my core strengths of Islamic Economics and socio-economic grassroot work base, to bring out the best of the Waqf Board and best for society,” an excerpt from her letter reads.

Underscoring her understanding of waqf, Ms Sarwath wrote that she believes it is an “Islamic socio-economic tool for amelioration of lower-economic strata” which “can complement the governmental policies” and help to bring about a reduction of poverty in the State.

Apart from her expertise in Islamic Economics, Ms Sarwath has actively worked with Save Our Urban Lakes.