Six districts remained without customary aid; beneficiaries struggle in the face of galloping inflation
RAWALPINDI:
Thousands of zakat beneficiaries across Rawalpindi division were deprived of the usual ‘special Eid gift’ this year, leaving nearly 37,000 underprivileged families struggling to celebrate Eidul Fitr amid soaring inflation.
The affected families belong to six districts – Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal and Talagang – where the annual cash assistance of Rs 12,000, usually disbursed between 20th and 25th of Ramazan through digital payment services, has not been disbursed this year.
According to reports, many women from registered beneficiary families visit zakat board offices daily in the hope of receiving funds, only to return home disappointed.
This delay occurs in a context of administrative difficulties within the zakat system. The legal structure of zakat committees at the district and local levels is not yet fully formed.
In Rawalpindi district alone, there are 1,166 local zakat committees alongside a district council, but no regular chairperson has been appointed to the district body in the last two and a half years.
Currently, the deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi oversees the board in an acting capacity, without committee members being formally appointed. Meanwhile, the mandate of local zakat committees expired about 18 months ago and teachers were temporarily appointed administrators in their place.
Officials say prolonged ad hoc arrangements have disrupted the functioning of the zakat system, rendering it largely ineffective.
In all six districts of the division, district and local zakat committees currently lack regularly elected chairpersons and members.
Officials at Rawalpindi District Zakat Board said the Rs 12,000 Eid assistance would still be provided, attributing the delay to technical reasons.
They confirmed that the funds have been allocated and are expected to be transferred to the beneficiaries’ accounts later this week or shortly after Eid.
The council added that payments will be made through Easypaisa, and notifications will be sent to registered beneficiaries once funds are released. The distribution is expected to be completed in the last week of March, after the Eid holiday.
The authorities further indicated that the zakat payment for the last quarter of the current financial year (April to June) was also to be released. This tranche will include financial assistance for medical treatment and surgical procedures in public hospitals.
