SWABI, Aug 26: The setting up of Zakat committees in most of the union councils in the Swabi district was postponed on Wednesday after UC nazims and councillors failed to reach consensus over members' names amid allegations and counter-allegations.

The Zakat department had convened meetings in the 56 union councils across the district to nominate 392 male and 112 female members of the committees.

Seven male and two female members were nominated for each committee who would have then elected a chairman.

In the Maneri Bala union council the members belonging to the city areas reportedly said that there was no need of representation of surrounding villages in the proposed committee.

Councillors from these villages warned against exclusion of their representatives. As a result, only chairman was nominated as the Awami National Party and Swabi Qaumi Mahaz leaders failed to reach consensus over members' names.

Scenes of commotion were reported from Chota Lahore, Yar Hussain, Gadoon, Topi, Tordher and other union councils, leading the authorities to postpone the nomination of chairmen as each group or political party wanted their candidates for the slot.

Similar reports were received from other union councils and sources said that nomination process might be completed on Friday. Many former members of previous committees have been left out as they do not qualify for the job now. According to new rules, a candidate must hold a matric certificate to be eligible for the membership.