KARACHI, Oct 28: The Sindh Zakat Council has decided to donate Rs1.4 billion to the President’s Relief Fund for the earthquake victims. This was decided in meeting held here on Friday at the Governor’s House with Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad in chair. Senior member Board of Revenue Sindh Syed Anwar Haider, Additional Secretary Maj (retd) Aftab Lodhi, Chairman Zakat Council Karachi Maulana Irshadul Haq Thanvi and other members of the Zakat Council attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed various matters pertaining to Zakat in the province. On the occasion, the governor directed the Sindh Secretary Zakat to complete the formalities regarding dispatching relief from the Zakat Fund to the quake victims at the earliest.

The meeting was informed that the Islamic Ideology Council had also declared helping the quake victims from the Zakat Fund as permissible, while the members of the district and provincial Zakat Councils were also interested in contributing toward the relief efforts from the excess amount in the Zakat fund.

The governor directed the concerned officials to pay allowances to the destitute before Eid.

Meanwhile, Dr Ibad expressed his profound grief over the demise of the noted educationist and founder principal of the Sir Syed College, Karachi, Prof Umme Salma Zaman.

In his condolence messsage, Dr Ibad lauding her services which she rendered in the field of education and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.

Hindu community: The Swami Narain Temple Trust on Friday presented a cheque of Rs0.2 million to Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari for the quake relief fund. About Rs0.1 million was also donated by the Shri Surti Maywati Rajput Panchayat.

Speaking on the occasion of Hon Pooja organised by the Trust for those killed in the earthquake and for the early recovery of the injured, Mr Bukhari said service to humanity was the most acceptable of worships.—PPI/APP