Zakat crisis deprives thousands of aid

RAWALPINDI: A prolonged financial crunch has left the Zakat Department in Rawalpindi unable to provide assistance to eligible beneficiaries for the last 10 months, affecting thousands of low-income families as well as patients dependent on support for treatment.

The government has not released any funds to the Rawalpindi Zakat Council during this period. The suspension has meant that no Eid gifts were distributed on Eidul Fitr this year, while concerns have also emerged that support may not be available on Eidul Azha.

Department structure said to be in disarray

The Zakat system in Rawalpindi Division, and more broadly across the province, has been severely weakened because of official neglect and lack of attention. District Zakat Committees have not been properly formed for the past three years, and Rawalpindi currently does not have a district chairman.

At the local level, all 1,166 Zakat committees in the district have remained dissolved for three years. Their affairs are being handled by administrators working on daily wages.

To continue limited support for widows and other vulnerable people, the department has reportedly begun approaching philanthropists and traders for donations. Money collected through these efforts is being used to help the most deserving families.

Patients and students among those affected

Families of leprosy patients and visually impaired people in the district have not received financial assistance for nearly a year. The halt in Zakat funding has also affected medical services for eligible patients at major public hospitals in the district, including surgeries, eye operations and kidney dialysis.

As a result, several critically ill patients have reportedly died. Educational stipends for children from deserving families have also not been paid, and many students have been forced to leave school because their fees could not be paid.

Previously, around 10,000 poor households, including widows and orphans, were receiving monthly support ranging from Rs2,000 to Rs3,000. That assistance has now stopped completely.

Beneficiaries describe hardship

One beneficiary, Razia Bibi, said she had been visiting the Zakat office for the past 10 months but was sent back each time with assurances that payment would be made the following month.

She said her travel costs now exceed the amount she was supposed to receive, leaving her with no option but to beg in order to survive.

An official of the Rawalpindi Zakat Council said funds were expected to be released by Eidul Azha, after which all pending payments would be cleared.