PESHAWAR, Dec 9: The Civil Secretariat for Fata has sought Rs160 million from the federal government on account of Zakat for distribution among deserving people of the tribal region.

Sources said the secretariat had asked the federal Ministry of Religious Affairs to transfer the amount to the newly-established directorate of Zakat, Fata.

The president had extended the Zakat and Usher Ordinance, 1980, to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in 2006, making deserving tribesmen entitled to receive Zakat.

The sources said that under the formula evolved for distribution of Zakat, Fata would receive about Rs160 million from the federal share.

The secretariat has constituted an 11-member Zakat council for the seven agencies and six tribal regions of Fata which would monitor distribution of funds in the area. The council is headed by a former bureaucrat and its members include two women.

Officials said every tribal agency would be given representation in the council.

For this purpose, political agents have recommended six people from each tribal agency and one member of the council will be based in Peshawar. The government has reportedly sanctioned 125 posts for the directorate and recruitments will be made soon.

Zakat committees are also being set up in the agencies for distribution of Zakat. There will be one committee for 10,000 people in the area.