Court inquires about funds collected at shrines

KARACHI:

A two-member bench of the Sindh High Court, headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, heard the petition regarding the preservation of Sindh's heritage sites and issued orders to prepare maps and demarcation of lands of heritage sites and shrines in the province and submit it along with the summary within two months.

Petitioner's lawyer stated that the lands of historical places and shrines of Sindh are being encroached upon.

The court inquired as to what happened to the endowment fund which was ordered to be created. The court remarked why the money collected in the shrines is deposited in the treasury?

Justice Panhwar remarked why the bank account has not been opened in this regard. The money belongs to the trust, people are being fleeced which is a crime and a case needs to be registered against all those responsible and involved. People who gave land to the department are being cheated.

Justice Panhwar inquired the authorities, "What amount of Zakat is distributed among deserving people." Officials replied that Rs1,000 is given to each deserving person as Zakat.

Justice Amjad Ali Sohto remarked that only Rs1,000 is given to the deserving people while those who do nothing get around Rs200,000 each.