SSGC staff wants Rs3m Zakat refund

KARACHI: Sui Southern Gas Company’s staff have gone to court over Zakat being deducted from their gratuity fund.

On Tuesday, the Sindh High Court issued notice to the federal ministeries of religious affairs and finance, the chief administrator of the Central Zakat Council and the DG of the National Savings Centre on the petition.

The staff’s lawyer submitted that the Sui Southern Gas Executive Staff Gratuity Fund invested Rs 34,310,000 in Defence Savings Certificate that matured on February 21, 2010. Even though the fund is exempt from Zakat deductions, the authorities deducted Rs 3,020,160. The lawyer referred to Sub-clause (1), Clause (XXIII) of Section 2 of the Zakat & Usher Ordinance 1980.

He contended that the petitioner was suffering a daily financial loss of Rs 23,899 because of these deductions and wanted a refund for Rs 3,020,160.

The SHC’s Acting Chief Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar asked the respondents to file their comments in the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2010.