SC agrees to hear Owaisi's plea seeking extension of time for registration of Waqf properties
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list again for hearing a plea of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi seeking extension of time for the mandatory registration of all Waqf properties, including 'Waqf by user', under the UMEED portal.
The bench earlier listed the plea of the AIMIM leader and others on the issue for consideration on October 28. However, it could not be taken up for the hearing.
On Monday, lawyer Nizam Pasha, appearing for Owaisi, urged a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran to hear the matter urgently as it could not be heard on the earlier date.
"We will give a date," the CJI said.
Earlier, the lawyer said the six-month period for the mandatory registration of Waqf was nearing its end.
In an interim order on September 15, the top court put on hold a few key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including a clause that only those practising Islam for the last five years could create Waqf, but refused to stay the entire law, outlining the presumption of constitutionality in its favour.
It also held the Centre's order to delete the 'Waqf by user' provision in the newly-amended law was prima facie not arbitrary and the argument that Waqf lands would be grabbed by governments held "no water".
'Waqf by user' refers to a practice where a property is recognised as a religious or charitable endowment (waqf) based on its uninterrupted long-term use for such purposes, even if there isn't a formal, written declaration of Waqf by the owner.
Pasha previously urged the court to hear a miscellaneous application seeking an extension of time for registration of Waqf properties.
He said six months' time was given in the amended law for the registration of the waqf properties and "five months went during the judgement, we now only have one month left".
The Centre launched the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Act central portal on June 6 to create a digital inventory after geo-tagging all Waqf properties.
According to the mandate of the UMEED portal, details of all registered Waqf properties across India are to be mandatorily uploaded within six months.
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Next round of Iran-US negotiations expected soon: Pak's Defence Minister
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Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that the next round of Iran-US negotiations was expected soon.
Asif made these remarks on Monday, a day after the Islamabad talks failed to clinch a deal.
The 21-hour talks between the US and Iran on Saturday were the first of their kind since 1979 due to the involvement of top-level officials from both sides. The two sides, however, failed to secure a lasting peace deal to end hostilities following their talks in Pakistan over the weekend.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament House, Asif said there had been a sense of satisfaction after the talks that there were no negative developments so far.
“Only positive progress has been observed,” he said, indicating that the ongoing diplomatic efforts were moving in a constructive direction.
The next round of Iran-US negotiations was expected soon, he added.
The Express Tribune reported that responding to a question about whether Pakistan would play a decisive role in shaping the region’s future, Asif said that ultimate decisions rest with Allah.
Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation at the negotiations in Islamabad, said the Iranian side did not accept Washington's terms for ending the war even as the US presented its "final and best offer".
Hours after the talks collapsed, US President Donald Trump said on social media that the negotiations with Iran failed as "Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions."
Pakistan led the diplomatic push to bring the two sides to the table, which became possible after an appeal by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier this week, leading to a pause in the fighting.
The conflict began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, paralysing global energy markets and disrupting trade.
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