Religious minorities being discriminated against
Regional director blames paucity of funds for large number of leftover applications
Members of Pakistan's Hindu community pray inside a temple in Rahim Yar Khan. PHOTO: REUTERS
PESHAWAR:
Physically challenged belonging to religious minorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa lamented the Pakistan Baitul Mal’s discriminatory attitude, saying they were being discriminated against in the disbursement of funds.
According to a report, a copy of which is exclusively available with The Express Tribune, approximately 40 applications were submitted with the regional headquarters of Pakistan Baitul Mal in the provincial metropolis by members of the Christian community in 2016, but they have yet to get a single penny.
Experts deplore discrimination against minorities
They said a vast majority of religious minorities in Pakistan had been living below the poverty line and added the government should provide them financial assistance through Baitul Mal meant to help the poor without any discrimination.
“My daughter has mental issue since she was born and I don’t have money to bring medicines for her. I was working as a cook in a house but then I lost my job,” Johnson, a resident of Yousaf Abad, told The Express Tribune.
He added he had given a written application to the Pakistan Baitul Mal in Peshawar but the request had fallen on deaf ears. “Even after a year, we are not provided with any financial assistance nor are we informed that our application is turned down.”
Johnson said: “I clearly mentioned in the application that I need the government’s help to fulfil even the basic needs of my family, especially medical assistance for my daughter Cinderella who cannot move on her own.”
Christian community members have also submitted a joint application to the Wafaqi Mohtasib Office in Peshawar, a letter was issued to Baitul Mal, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, according to which it was recommended that the complaint number WMS-PSH/0001344/16 should be addressed immediately but the words fell on deaf ears.
Another letter was issued later to Baitul Mal that if they would not address the issue within a timeframe given to them, legal action would be taken against the department but the matter is still not resolved.
Irregularities in Baitul Mal amount to Rs390m
The father of 18-year-old handicapped girl Rehna Pervaiz, Pervaiz Maseeh, said he had visited Baitul Mal several times but got disappointed due to their insulting behaviour.
“They don’t even listen to us. I even took my daughter in order to show them her disabilities but still they are not ready to give me financial aid. Who would be more needy than a father whose daughter needs medicines and he cannot afford them,” Pervaiz said.
This scribe contacted Director of regional headquarters of the Pakistan Baitul Mal, Syed Abul Qasim Gilani, who replied that due to scarcity of funds, all applicants did not get the privilege and assistance from the government and added that “We don’t discriminate minorities on any ground”.
“The total budget of Baitul Mal is around Rs4 billion for the whole country and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa gets their part of around 13 per cent in it,” he said and added “Unfortunately there is no separate budget allocation for the Federally-Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) and the majority of FATA applications are being entertained via this 13 per cent grant for K-P.”
Physically challenged belonging to religious minorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa lamented the Pakistan Baitul Mal’s discriminatory attitude, saying they were being discriminated against in the disbursement of funds.
According to a report, a copy of which is exclusively available with The Express Tribune, approximately 40 applications were submitted with the regional headquarters of Pakistan Baitul Mal in the provincial metropolis by members of the Christian community in 2016, but they have yet to get a single penny.
Experts deplore discrimination against minorities
They said a vast majority of religious minorities in Pakistan had been living below the poverty line and added the government should provide them financial assistance through Baitul Mal meant to help the poor without any discrimination.
“My daughter has mental issue since she was born and I don’t have money to bring medicines for her. I was working as a cook in a house but then I lost my job,” Johnson, a resident of Yousaf Abad, told The Express Tribune.
He added he had given a written application to the Pakistan Baitul Mal in Peshawar but the request had fallen on deaf ears. “Even after a year, we are not provided with any financial assistance nor are we informed that our application is turned down.”
Johnson said: “I clearly mentioned in the application that I need the government’s help to fulfil even the basic needs of my family, especially medical assistance for my daughter Cinderella who cannot move on her own.”
Christian community members have also submitted a joint application to the Wafaqi Mohtasib Office in Peshawar, a letter was issued to Baitul Mal, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, according to which it was recommended that the complaint number WMS-PSH/0001344/16 should be addressed immediately but the words fell on deaf ears.
Another letter was issued later to Baitul Mal that if they would not address the issue within a timeframe given to them, legal action would be taken against the department but the matter is still not resolved.
Irregularities in Baitul Mal amount to Rs390m
The father of 18-year-old handicapped girl Rehna Pervaiz, Pervaiz Maseeh, said he had visited Baitul Mal several times but got disappointed due to their insulting behaviour.
“They don’t even listen to us. I even took my daughter in order to show them her disabilities but still they are not ready to give me financial aid. Who would be more needy than a father whose daughter needs medicines and he cannot afford them,” Pervaiz said.
This scribe contacted Director of regional headquarters of the Pakistan Baitul Mal, Syed Abul Qasim Gilani, who replied that due to scarcity of funds, all applicants did not get the privilege and assistance from the government and added that “We don’t discriminate minorities on any ground”.
“The total budget of Baitul Mal is around Rs4 billion for the whole country and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa gets their part of around 13 per cent in it,” he said and added “Unfortunately there is no separate budget allocation for the Federally-Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) and the majority of FATA applications are being entertained via this 13 per cent grant for K-P.”