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KARACHI, Nov 24: The Sindh government on Monday directed all district Nazims to ensure effective enforcement of the ban, under Section 144 Cr.PC, on collection of any sort of fund (Chanda), with only exception for Zakat and Fitra, for a period of one week.
“Imposition of the ban was necessary because some people are collecting Chanda from people at mosques, shopping centres and other places of Karachi and other parts of the province in the name of the so-called ‘Jihad’ and for sectarian organizations, most of which have already been disbanded. Such a practice cannot be permitted under the law,” said an official handout issued here on Monday by provincial Information department.
CITY NAZIM: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, at a hurriedly called press conference in the city government’s conference room on Monday, clarified that the ban he had imposed on Sunday was applicable only on collection of ‘Chanda’ and not the Zakat and Fitra as categorically stated in the provincial government’s statement.
The Nazim said: “As a matter of fact, neither me nor anyone else was empowered enough to impose a ban on Zakat and Fitra collection because it is purely a matter of Shariah.”
Clarifying a report appearing in a section of press on Monday, he told newsmen that the contents of the report appeared misleading owing to an inadvertent mistake in the translation of the notified order at the CDGK’s media management office.
Apologizing to the people whose feelings were hurt with the inadvertent mistake, the Nazim said that the aim of imposing the ban was only to contain fund-raising called ‘Chanda’ and not the Zakat and Fitra collection.
Justifying imposition of the ban, he said: “It was brought to my notice that some elements are collecting Chanda for anti-social and controversial activities and there is likelihood that such activities may pose a threat to peace and tranquillity.” The step has been taken in the interest of general public, he added.
SWIFT ACTION: Sources said that the move to clarify the situation following the publication of the report was necessitated as the concerned police officials, acting swiftly, had passed on the message to police stations directing the personnel to take action against all those collecting any sort of money from people irrespective of the nature or purpose. The police action would have created a great deal of resentment among people, they added.
