Zakat, fitra: MQM deplores ban on taking alms

HYDERABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decried the ‘ban’ over the party’s collection of Fitra and Zakat by the authorities. In a statement on Sunday, the MQM’s Hyderabad zone leader Muhammad Zafar Khan and zonal committee members expressed ‘sadness’ over the alleged silence of law enforcement agencies when it comes to collection of charity by banned militant outfits. “On the one side, MQM’s welfare wing Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation confronts an undeclared ban on collection of Zakat and Fitra and on other side, terrorist organisations have complete freedom to collect donations,” said the statement. “This is proof that some official elements are backing terrorists, Taliban and banned outfits,” said the MQM.  The party leaders urged army chief General Raheel Sharif to arrest such elements and give them exemplary punishments for their support to terrorists, Taliban and banned organisations.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2016.