KARACHI, April 24: Some members of the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday raised their voices against a lack of transparency as well as corruption in the distribution of zakat and ushr, saying the funds did not reach to the deserving and poor people.

The provincial lawmakers, including those belonging to the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, raised their concerns during the assembly’s question-hour session that pertained to the zakat and ushr department.

PPP’s Anwer Maher and a few other MPAs claimed that the distribution was not transparent and insisted that the funds did not reach to the deserving and poor people. They added that the public representatives were not informed or even involved in the process.

In response to their observations, Sindh Zakat and Ushr Minister Sajid Jokhio said that efforts were made to keep the process transparent, but corruption could not be rooted out. However, further efforts would be taken to minimise it, he added.

Responding to a question of MPA Heer Soho of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the minister said that over Rs886 million were allocated/released for distribution as zakat/ushr during the year 2010-11 while a year earlier (2009-10) Rs296 million had been allocated/released.

As Mr Soho was not present, the question was asked on her behalf by Zareen Majeed. Responding to a question regarding why less funds had been allocated than the previous year, the minister said that since the funds had lapsed earlier so next year less amount was allocated.

Though the question-hour was related to the Youth Affairs and Zakat & Ushr departments, all the five questions mentioned in the order of the day, owing to lesser number of supplementary question asked, were taken up within 45 minutes.

Responding to a question by PPP’s Nasarullah Baloch, the minister said that 60 per cent of the funds were given as guzara allowance, 18 per cent as scholarships, eight per cent were given to madressahs, four per cent each for dowry (jahaiz) and under social welfare, etc.

To another question by the same lawmaker that as to why Sukkur district which had more population than Thatta, Dadu, Badin and Kamber districts was allocated lesser amount, the minister said that funds were allocated on the basis of last census conducted in the 1990s.

Responding to a question by PPP’s Farheen Mughal as to how much amount was paid per person, the minister said that a person received Rs500 per month plus Rs500 as Eidi once a year, totaling to Rs6,500 per person annually.

To a question by PPP’s Shama Mithani regarding giving jobs to handicapped people, he said that there was a two per cent quota reserved for them in the government jobs, but unfortunately it was not implemented effectively.

Responding to a question asked by Ms Majeed, the minister said that the department spent around Rs5,000 per patient for admitted patients while it spent around Rs2,000 per outdoor patients.

PPP’s Jam Tamachi said that complaints regarding zakat and ushr distribution continued. He also suggested that a list of the people receiving medical treatment on department’s expenses be displayed at the hospitals for transparency.

The minister said that the department was planning to issue a card to the deserving people, which would solve the transparency issue.

Responding to a question asked by PML-F lawmaker Marvi Rashdi on behalf of her party’s Nusrat Abbasi regarding the Youth Empowerment Spaces (YES) programme, MQM’s Syed Sardar Ahmed, while responding on behalf of Youth Affairs Minister Faisal Sabzwari who was not present, said that it had been launched by the youth affairs department at a cost of approximately Rs60 million as a pilot project in Karachi, Jamshoro amd Matiari districts, but based on its results it could be expanded to other districts as well.

To another question asked by National People’s Party’s Arif Jatoi on behalf of Nusrat Abbasi regarding the Benazir Bhutto Youth Development Programme, Mr Ahmed said that over 43,590 people, aged between 15 and 29 years, had been provided training.

To a question by Humera Alwani about the status of the programme, the minister said that the programme was continuing successfully and it was good for youth and he hoped that it would continue.