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LAKKI MARWAT, March 15: The chairman of the district Zakat and Ushr suspended 10 local Zakat committees following public complaints.
Sources in the Zakat office said that the heads of the Zakat committees had politicized the distribution of Zakat and other poverty reduction funds allocated specifically for the poor.
The victims lodged complaints to high-ups and sought inquiry into the matter, saying non-deserving and politically backed elements had usurped the rights of the poor with the help of the Zakat chairmen.
The matter was investigated and complaints were found true, leading District Zakat and Ushr chairman Gul Nawaz Khan to suspend 10 local Zakat committees for 90 days. The suspended committees are Badni Khel, Tajori No 1, Bragi Wala No 2, Abbasa No 1, Abbasa No 2, Kala Manjiwala No 1, Bachakan Ahmad Zai, Saeed Khel No 2, Chohar Khel and Tajori No 2.
Meanwhile, a circular was issued by the ministry of religious affairs, Zakat and Ushr in 2001, according to which elected representatives of local governments are neither authorized nor entitled to interfere in the affairs of Zakat and Ushr committees.
However, they do have the right to furnish their proposals about the formation of the local Zakat committees in their respective union councils and districts.
SMUGGLING BID FOILED: Police on Friday recovered contraband and petroleum products being smuggled to lower parts of the country via Lakki Marwat and Mianwali, and arrested the accused.
Police sources said that on a tip-off that some Afghan smugglers were trying to pass illegal and non-customs-duty paid foreign cloth and petroleum products via Lakki Marwat to Punjab. A police party police barricaded the NWFP-Punjab Highway near the Lakki city and started searching Punjab-bound passenger vehicles.
Two Afghan nationals — Momin, son of Dad Mohammad, and Jamil Khan, son of Wajil — residents of Miranshah, who were trying to smuggle foreign cloth worth Rs43,020 were arrested at a coach. The police also arrested coach driver Mehtab Khan.
During another such search, tins of foreign made oil and grease being smuggled into Punjab were seized. Arif, son of Umer Daraz, was sent behind bars.
