PESHAWAR, May 21: The City District Council on Wednesday adopted a unanimous resolution to condemned the political interference in the formation of the district-level Zakat committees in the province and urged the NWFP government to stop interfering in the distribution of Zakat funds.

The meeting, which was presided over by convener Dr Iqbal Khalil, on Wednesday, asked the district council’s Zakat committee to look into the matter and present a report in this regard by the forthcoming session.

Tariq Aziz, on the occasion, said that the provincial Zakat Department had dissolved the local Zakat committees in Peshawar district, appointing workers of the Jamaat-i-Islami as heads of committees.

Accusing provincial minister for Zakat and Ushr of disregarding rules and regulations, he said that members of the Zakat committees had been nominated by the JI’s provincial secretariat. He presented documents in this regard.

Alleging the Jamaat of using the Zakat and Ushr fund as “a political bribe,” he said that the JI distributed funds on political grounds.

Stressing the need for what he termed abolishing the monopoly of a particular party over the Zakat funds, he said that the provincial government should evolve a mechanism to ensure the fair distribution of the Zakat among the poor people.

Urging greater transparency in the distribution of Zakat funds, Niaz Mohmand, another member of the union council, said that the government should appoint people with no political affiliations as members of the Zakat committees, adding that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government should take strict action against the JI activists for interfering in the affairs of the Zakat department.

Another member of the council, Riaz Bacha, said that the Zakat Department should have conducted an inquiry before dissolving the local Zakat committees.

Earlier, council member Arbab Jehandad tabled a resolution, asking the City District Government to allocate funds for covering the Mohammadzai drain, which passed through three union councils — Pakha Ghulam, Wadpaga and Budney.

Criticizing the district government for inaction, he said that if no practical steps were taken, the local people would be left with no option but to protest. Other council members also supported the resolution.

Convener Dr Iqbal Khalil directed the DCO to survey the area so that it could be included in the next year’s annual developmental programme.

The Communications and Works Department also came under fire and the council members accused contractors of using sub-standard material in the construction of roads.

On the occasion, city district Nazim Azam Afridi said that the government would take action against contractors using inferior material.