ISLAMABAD, April 26: National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs has called for revamping of Zakat and Ushr system, saying that presently it is being subjected to massive financial and administrative mismanagement. According to a press release, the committee meet at the Parliament House here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of MNA Pir Mohammad Shah Khagga.

The committee decided to convene a joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and the Council for Islamic Ideology (CII) to discuss and suggest remedial measures for the Zakat and Ushr collection and distribution system.

The committee’s chairman pointed out that the Zakat system introduced in 1980 was a very comprehensive one, however, due to mismanagement and lack of proper monitoring, evaluation and surveillance, it failed to achieve the desired objectives.

He directed the religious affairs ministry to point out weak areas so that the committees of the parliament and the CII could suggest measures for its rehabilitation.

Later discussing the Subsistence Allowance Scheme (Guzara Allowance), the committee was of the view that the scheme had also been subjected to corruption and funds for the purpose were being massively misused.

The members of the committee pointed out various instances where Guzara Allowance funds had been given to favourite persons.

The committee was of the view that the scheme should be abolished immediately, and schemes for collective benefits for the poor and the needy may be initiated so that long-term benefits could be achieved.

It also suggested that the religious affairs ministry should get statistics regarding the poor people from the Bureau of Statistics, and that Zakat funds to the provinces be allocated on poverty and not on population basis.

The committee also asked the ministry to allocated funds for administrative expenditures of the local Zakat councils.

It was brought into the notice of the committee that Rs380 million was being spend on the councils’ administrative expenditures.