More than 30,000 beneficiaries are waiting for help; scholarships and medical aid remain suspended
RAWALPINDI:
The Zakat department will not provide financial assistance to registered low-income families and widowed women in Rawalpindi division on the occasion of Eidul Azha, following the suspension of similar payments during Eidul Fitr amid acute financial crisis.
Over 30,000 registered beneficiaries in the six districts of Rawalpindi division – including Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang and Jhelum – have been deprived of Zakat assistance in the last 14 months.
Officials confirmed that due to severe financial constraints, no special Eid grants would be distributed during Eid Al Azha, leaving thousands of deserving families in distress.
Over the past 14 months, district Zakat boards have also reportedly failed to provide scholarships to underprivileged students or provide financial support to families of visually impaired people and lepers.
Furthermore, free medical care, surgeries and kidney dialysis services for poor patients in public hospitals have remained suspended for the past two years and two months because Zakat funds have not been released.
Under the previous system, eligible families received monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,000, either monthly or quarterly, while special Eid grants ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 were traditionally provided for Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha.
Officials said the last such payment was made on Eidul Fitr 2025. Since then, no financial assistance has been provided to beneficiaries or widowed women due to the ongoing funding crisis.
A large number of women reportedly visit the Zakat Board offices daily, but return disappointed after being informed that no funds were available.
Currently, all six districts of Rawalpindi division, including Rawalpindi district, have not had a permanent chairman of district Zakat councils for two years, while several posts in other districts have remained vacant for almost three years.
The authorities said that there are 1,166 union councils in Rawalpindi district and around 3,500 local union councils across the division. These local Zakat committees were dissolved two years ago at the end of their term and are currently led by temporary administrators.
The affected beneficiaries, including Ruqaiya Bibi, Sakina Begum and Gulfraz Bibi, said they had visited the Zakat Board offices several times since Eidul Fitr, but did not receive any assistance.
According to the women, office staff informed them that payments would be transferred through Easypaisa as soon as funds were available.
