TAXILA: The district administration Attock on Tuesday appointed acting administrators of 432 Zakat committees. Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza issued appointment letters to Scale 16 schoolteachers as acting administrators of the Zakat committees.

District Zakat Officer Amjad Sattar Khan was also present on the occasion.

The deputy commissioner said as soon as funds were transferred from the Punjab Zakat Council to the District Zakat Committee, lists of the beneficiaries would be sought from the local committees for the release of the relief stipends. After appointment of administrators, millions of Zakat beneficiaries have expressed the hope they would get the ‘Eid gift’ package of Rs12,000 from the provincial government.

It may be mentioned that the disbursement of ‘Eid gift’ package of Rs12,000 to millions of Zakat beneficiaries remained pending due to non-appointment of the chairmen of the district Zakat committees.

Sources said over 400 local Zakat committees had been dissolved after the completion of their terms, but due to the absence of the district body, local committees could not be elected.

The sources said the caretaker government had dismissed the chairmen of the district Zakat committees a month ago but the high court ordered their reinstatement. However, the government has not yet reinstated them.

The sources said dowry funds for the marriage of orphan girls, scholarship for needy students, and free treatment of poor patients had also been suspended due to absence of the administrators of Zakat committees.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2023