QUETTA: The Zakat Department officials have said that Zakat amount has not been distributed in Balochistan for the past two years.
While talking in Balochistan Assembly’ Public Accounts Committee session, the Zakat Department officials have said that four billion rupees are kept there in the funds of Zakat department, however, the amount of Zakat could not have been distributed among the deserving people.
The Zakat Council and the Zakat Committees were dissolved in June 2023, and since then the new council and the committees have not been launched.
The officials have said that the ongoing government has made amendment in the Zakat Act. The Zakat Department officials have accused that the CM Balochistan aims a complete closure of the Zakat Department.
The Zakat and Ushr Department in Balochistan is a key government institution established to support the poor, widows, orphans, and disabled individuals through financial assistance.
Its primary objective is to ensure the transparent distribution of Zakat funds and strengthen the province’s social welfare system.
Every year, billions of rupees are allocated to Balochistan from the federal Zakat fund, which are meant to be distributed at the district and local levels through Zakat committees.
However, in recent years, serious administrative issues and delays have hindered the distribution of these funds.
Reports indicate that for the past two years, around Rs. 34 billion in Zakat funds have remained unutilized in bank accounts, failing to reach the needy.
The main causes of this delay include inactive district committees, poor data management, and lack of transparency.
Experts believe that timely and fair distribution of these funds could significantly reduce poverty in the province and provide much-needed relief to thousands of underprivileged families.
In a province like Balochistan, which is the most victimized region of poverty and the suffering of the people are beyond limits, a fair and transparent distribution of Zakat can be a crucial move.
