HYDERABAD, Jan 13: The Sindh government has begun distribution of Zakat among the poor and needy after receiving first instalment of Rs400.25 million, said Sindh Minister for Zakat and Ushr Mohammad Sajid Jokhio.

He was visiting the Circuit House here on Tuesday to distribute Zakat cheques among the management of taluka hospitals and needy people of Hyderabad. Mr Jokhio told the journalists that Sindh had taken a lead as other provinces were yet to begin distribution of Zakat.

The federal government was doling out funds to provinces as per their populations based on the last census, whereas the population of Sindh had increased tremendously. He said that the next census should include the names of all people.

He said that the government was considering revising Zakat distribution strategy by providing at least Rs100,000 to each needy person for self-employment instead of Rs3,000-Rs4,000 monthly subsistence allowance and increasing dowry allowance from Rs15,000 to Rs100,000.

He said that the purpose of it were to enable beneficiaries earn respectable livelihood and meet marriage needs. He said that at present less Zakat deductions from financial institutions were being made as compared to previous period as such legislation was required to get due deductions from financial institutions.

The provincial minister disclosed that Rs1,250 million was not distributed which lapsed due to differences among the management and ruling party in previous government depriving thousands of their basic right.

He made it clear that the government had decided transparent and timely distribution of Zakat in open katchehries and in the presence of media. He said that the officials responsible for Zakat distribution had been warned of transparent transactions failing which action would be taken against them. He said that he would personally monitor distribution of Zakat among poor in each district.

Earlier, Mr Jokhio distributed Zakat cheques of Rs3,500 each among 210 beneficiaries as subsistence allowance. He also distributed an amount of Rs1.18 million among six hospitals of Hyderabad district.

CONVOCATION: The Mehran University of Engineering and Technology announced its Convocation-2008 would be held on Jan 24 at 11am at the university’s auditorium.

The university advised graduates and postgraduates of the university and affiliated colleges and institutes who had applied for receiving their degrees at the convocation to attend rehearsal at the auditorium on Jan 22 instead of Jan 23.

DECLAMATION CONTEST: The vice-chancellor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Prof Noshad Ahmed Shaikh, has awarded a shield and cash prize to final year MBBS student, Munir Hassan, on securing first position in the All-Pakistan Bilingual Declamation Contest held in December 2008 at Pakistan Air Force Foundation Academy Risalpur.