KHUJAND, January 25, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Like other citizens of Tajikistan, mosque employees in Sughd province will pay taxes.

An official source at the Sughd customs directorate says that under the country’s legislation mosques were exempted from paying taxes.  “Meanwhile, the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) has endorsed staff list of mosque employees and mosques now keep the books,” said the source.  “Mosque employees now receive wages that are formed on the basis of donations made by parishioners.  Receiving wage is considered profit earnings, and therefore, sarkhatibs, imam-khatibs and imams of mosques must pay income tax.”

Mosque employees now have to pay income and social taxes as well as the land tax.”

Mosque employees, however, consider that they cannot afford pay land tax.  One of mosque employees in the city of Khujand, who wanted to remain unnamed, told Asia-Plus that “some mosques have a large territory and they just cannot afford to pay land tax.”

Mahkam Mirkamolov, a chief specialist at CRA’s office in Sughd province, says Sughd province now has 914 registered mosques for daily prayers, 84 Friday prayer mosques (larger facilities for weekly Friday prayers) and 13 cathedral mosques.   43 other mosques are currently undergoing re-registration process, he added.