MANSEHRA, Sept 7: A group of widows in Ghaneela village of Balakot tehsil on Friday demanded action against the local zakat committee chairman over denial of zakat for many years.

Zeenatunnisa, Zawar Jan and Soba Jan told reporters in Balakot that zakat committee chairman Mohammad Bashir distributed zakat to his relatives and friends ignoring deserving people.

They said they repeatedly met the chairman for zakat payment, but to no avail. The widows said denial of zakat had subjected their families to abject poverty and therefore, the relevant minister should step in for corrective measures.

Meanwhile, provincial Haj and Auqaf minister Nimroz Khan on Friday said the government was working for the welfare of the Torghar people, whom the successive governments had neglected.

“Incumbent Ameer Haider Hoti is the first provincial chief minister to announce a development package.

He approved a development package valuing Rs4 billion and the time is not far when the people of this backward district will enjoy benefits of the package,” he told a public meeting in Bambil area of the new district.

Local office-bearers of Awami National Party Iqbal Zeb, Shahzad Shah and Zafarullah Khan also spoke on the occasion.

Mr Nimroz said work on 20 kilometres Thakot-Darband Road and 11 kilometres Shungli Road was in full swing and on completion, it would usher in a new era of progress in the district.

He added that a civil hospital in the district and many basic health units in Judbah, Karyani, Plosa, Shuingli Dar and Kamasar areas were being built.

The minister said the government was committed to providing better health and education services to locals He said Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority had begun reconstruction of the schools destroyed by the October 2005 earthquake in the district.

He said the ANP government had cleared the province of terrorists and thus, paving the way for real progress and prosperity.

“Time is not far when the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will enjoy the benefits of the policies initiated by the ANP government,” said Mr Nimroz.— Correspondent