The Punjab Auqaf Department has uncovered the alleged theft of millions of rupees from the donation boxes at Lahore’s Data Darbar shrine, prompting disciplinary action against officials and a wider crackdown on financial irregularities at shrines across the province.
Following the discovery, the department removed two managers from their positions and ordered the recovery of Rs. 12.5 million linked to the alleged embezzlement.
In response to the incident, the Punjab government has decided to introduce a digital monitoring system for cash boxes installed at shrines across the province to improve transparency and prevent future theft.
Punjab Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said the donations placed in shrine cash boxes are a sacred trust and should be handled with complete honesty and accountability.
He regretted that theft from donation boxes had continued in the past and said the government was determined to eliminate corruption from the Auqaf Department.
The minister added that digitizing the cash collection system would strengthen oversight, reduce the risk of financial misappropriation, and help ensure that public donations are managed in a transparent manner.
The Auqaf Department is expected to implement the new digital system at shrines across Punjab as part of broader efforts to improve governance and safeguard charitable funds.
Get the latest news and stories wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.