PESHAWAR, Dec 28: The NWFP Minister for Social Welfare, Auqaf, Religious and Minority Affairs, Qari Roohullah Madani, has said that changes are being made in the Zakat system at both federal and provincial levels.

Speaking at a radio programme, he said the changes were aimed at provision of Zakat to deserving people, rooting out corruption and permanent rehabilitation of needy and poor to cherish the dream of establishing a true Islamic welfare society in Pakistan.

The minister said reforms had been introduced in all departments, specially in the Zakat and Ushr system while this process was still going on.

He said following orders of the government of the day in a Muslim state was the foremost duty of the people, which also included in-time depositing of Zakat and Ushr to the officials concerned.

To a question, the minister said that maintenance and renovation of Mohabat Khan mosque and other historical buildings of the Auqaf Department was being given special attention. He said Governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah had already sanctioned funds for this purpose.

Similarly, he said steps were being taken to increase the amount generated under the head of fee collected on Auqaf properties.

To another question, the minister said that work on establishing permanent Haji camp was going in full swing. The provincial government has provided 40 kanal of land at Hayatabad free of cost for this purpose, while the federal government has allocated Rs22 million for the first phase of the project which was near completion.

The Haji camp would prove a blessing for pilgrims of the province, he said and added that a decision had also been taken to use the Haji camp as a model Darul Uloom in the non-Haj season for which necessary arrangements were being made.