NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Aug 31: About 100 residents of Deh Pir Parto, Naushahro Feroze taluka, took out a rally and blocked the National Highway at Allahwala Chowk here on Wednesday against local Zakat committee chairman Ghulam Mustafa for distributing Zakat funds only to people of his his community.

Protesters, led by Dhani Bux Soomro, took out a rally which after marching on different roads reached the Allahwala Chowk where they staged a sit-in, burnt tyres and blocked road for about one and a half hours.

Their leaders said that the chairman of Zakat committee of Deh Pir Parto was distributing Zakat only among his favourites and community people.

They said a number of deserving people, including widows, were deprived of Zakat funds since years as distribution was not fair.

The protesters demanded an impartial inquiry into the matter.

The SHO of Naushahro Feroze along with police force reached the spot and assured the protesters that their demands will be conveyed to concerned officials but the protesters demanded to meet the DCO of Naushahro Feroze and their leaders were taken to the DCO office.

DDO coordination Abdul Aleem Sehto said that they have received demands of protesters and the same were being sent to the chairman of district Zakat Committee, Naushahro Feroze, for comments.

When contacted, the chairman of district Zakat committee, Naushahro Feroze, Mohammad Ishaque Channa, said that a list of 12 persons from the Deh was approved and they were being paid Zakat fund. He, however, said that it was not possible to pay Zakat to all poor people of the Deh.

GROWERS PROTEST: The Sindh Abadgar Board, Naushahro Feroze district, at its meeting held here on Tuesday decided to suspend sugarcane supply to Al-Noor Sugar Mills in the forthcoming season as the mill has not paid difference amount at the rate of Rs3 per maund since last two years.

The meeting, attended by a large number of growers and presided over by Rashid Ali Detho, expressed its concern over the attitude of the mill management who, despite several promises, failed to pay the difference amount.

They claimed that the total amount payable by the mill was Rs35.6 million.

They said that growers of Naushahro Feroze sector were supplying 17,500,000 maunds of sugar cane every year but influential growers were being paid their amounts at par level and other growers were deprived of their dues.

They also appreciated the Habib Sugar Mills and Sakrand Sugar Mills for paying differences and dues to the growers.