Pakistan ranks high on list of helping strangers

Zakat deduction by the bank hovered between Rs3.5b and Rs5.3b between 2013 and 2015

LAHORE: CAF World Giving Index, a study on global generosity, ranks Pakistan in 92nd place on the list of most generous countries and positions it eighth in the category of helping strangers.

However, critics challenge these stats by arguing that most of the country’s economy is undocumented and people do not trust Zakat collection or the disbursement system of the government.



Zakat collection drives of charity hospitals and welfare organisations are in full swing due to Ramazan. Most campaigns are sponsored by the corporate sector and private businesses.

A banker, Kamran Sheikh, disclosed that all the banks provide instructions to their customers on Zakat details. “We remind our customers if they want to withdraw funds from their accounts to avoid Zakat deduction, they can,” he said. “We suggest they submit an affidavit to disallow banks to deduct Zakat.” He added that official statistics show that Zakat deduction was hovering between Rs3.5 billion and Rs5.3 billion during FY2011-15 despite economic growth in the country. Data highlight Zakat receipts remained stagnant at around Rs4 billion between Y2004 and 2010.



A hospital spokesperson of Shaukat Khanum Hospital said annual reports valued Zakat receipts and donations as a major source of the hospital’s to fund treatment of needy patients. He added the money supports the treatment of around 75% of needy patients.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2017.