In the doldrums: Government yet to form ushr, zakat committees

A meeting of the provincial zakat council will be held on September 26 to discuss the matter.

PESHAWAR:

More than 100 days have passed since the incumbent provincial government took charge, but committees for the distribution of zakat and ushr are yet to be formed.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Falak Sher, a former zakat committee chairman of Baricham union council, Mardan said the absence of zakat committees has resulted in immense problems for people.

Sher said former committee members were contacted daily by several people in need of financial aid and seeking  relevant forms recommended in order to avail zakat funds.

“However, we are not authorised to do this as we were automatically disbanded after the tenure of the previous government ended,” he said.



For health-related financial needs, residents could earlier get a recommendation from their local union council zakat committee, which would then give them Rs1,000 for treatment and medicines.

Earlier, the Mora scholarship programme of the provincial government was also available for students who needed financial aid, however, the scholarship has been discontinued and prospective students visit former committee members regularly to inquire about it.

The Mora scholarship trained students with basic computer skills. A monthly stipend of Rs600 was given to students and after completing a six-month course they were given Rs6,000 to purchase their own computer.

Sher said the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government should immediately announce zakat and ushr committees at district and local levels in order to mitigate problems people have to face when attempting to avail zakat.

Meanwhile, Minister for Ushr, Zakat and Auqaf and Religious Affairs Habibur Rehman told The Express Tribune the government has formed an eight-member provincial zakat council, comprising two women, two clerics and three local elders, while secretaries for finance, ushr and zakat, social welfare and health have also been announced.

Without citing any reason for the delay in the formation of committees, Rehman criticised the district deputy commissioners for the delay. “The auqaf department has sent several letters to them regarding the matter, however, they still have not responded,” he said.

Rehman added if the commissioners fail to nominate names for the zakat committees, his department would decide the issue in consultation with the leaders of coalition partners on September 26 in a meeting of the provincial zakat council.

“All nominees for the office bearers will be verified from security and law enforcement agencies,” he said. The meeting would also discuss a fair mechanism of ensuring transparent disbursement of zakat and ushr collections.

“Over 4,000 local committees were working in the previous government, however, we are considering an increase in their numbers,” Rehman informed.

On the other hand, Adviser to the Chief Minister for Transport and Minerals Yaseen Khalil said the reason for the delay was proposed amendments in the ushr and zakat legislation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2013.