NAWABSHAH, July 5: The Peoples’ Medical College Hospital (PMCH) had to surrender Rs1.75 Zakat fund, meant for poor patients, as this tranche for 2001-2002 was received by it on June 28, only two days before closing of the fiscal year.

This was said by the PMCH Medical Superintendent, Dr Ali Nawaz Khoso, while talking to this scribe here on Friday.

He said that the fund could not be utilized during the two working days as June 30 was a holiday.

When asked about new Zakat fund, he hoped that it would be available to the PMCH in a couple of days.

Lack of Zakat fund has added to misery of poor patients who rely on it to purchase life saving and other drugs.

The relatives of some affected patients demanded of the government to refund the lapsed Zakat amount and also provide fresh Zakat fund to the PMCH on immediate basis.

The PMCH is the largest government hospital in the middle Sindh and provides medical services to the patients from Nawabshah, Naushahro Feroze, Dadu districts and adjoining areas, having a poplulation of millions of people.