Zakat Council okays funds for IDPs, quake affectees

ISLAMABAD - The Central Zakat Council (CZC) on Saturday approved Rs 50 million fund for the earthquake affectees of Balochistan, Rs.25 million for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of FATA and Rs 25 million for NWFP for the next fiscal year.
The Central Zakat Council in its 98th meeting which was chaired by its Chairman Justice M Javed Butter also asked the Punjab government to constitute the local Zakat committees as funds could not be released to them till formation of these committees.
The meeting also discussed the 19-point agenda for next fiscal year and several other decisions were also made in the meeting.
The Council also approved the increase in the Zakat grant for the national level hospitals, including Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital Lahore, District Headquarter Hospital Rawalpindi, Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center Karachi and Rahmatullah Eye Trust Karachi.
The council also okayed the grant for Shaikh Zaid Hospital Rahim Yar Khan, Children Hospital Complex Multan, Soghra Shafiah Medical Complex Narawal and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Karachi.
The Council constituted a committee to devise the methodology for increase in the monthly stipend of deserving students. The council expressed its satisfaction on the implementation of decisions of its 97th meeting.
Chairman of the Council Justice Javed Buttar told the meeting that Central Zakat Council was independent organisation and we should ensure its transparency in order to restore the confidence of people. “We should listen the suggestions of each others to adopt some new ideas,” he added.
He asked the Secretary Zakat and Ushr to properly highlight the initiatives taken by the Ministry for the the welfare of the people specially the poor segment of society.
Secretary Zakat and Usher Naved Arif said that the philanthropists in the country are very active for the help of the poor. He said that the problems would be resolved through proper field working in all the four provinces. He said that with the support of the members it is possible to achieve the goals.
The meeting was attended by all the members of the Central Zakat Council and the Cheif Administrators Zakat from all the four provinces.