SHEIKHUPURA, Oct 11: The Zakat and Ushr department officials have allegedly embezzled Rs1.5 million, depriving more than 170 students of their scholarships and forcing them to leave their studies.

Parents of many of the students, whose children had been availing themselves of the facility, complained that they were being denied Zakat which was usurped by the officials and it was difficult for them to continue their studies without financial support.

Many of them had been forced to give up studies as some officials had been usurping money for the last few months, alleged the concerned parents, who said they had taken up the matter with the department administrator but no response from him had been received so far.—Correspondent