Although the Zakat system had been introduced some three decades ago and tens of billions have been distributed to deserving people since then, no government, federal or provincial, has taken any step for their permanent rehabilitation or bringing an end to their dependence. The amount of money given to a person or a family is so small that the recipient cannot even think of setting up any small business or shop to become self-reliant. The students who are given assistance to enable them to complete their studies also find the amount inadequate. Poor patients are also helped in treatment through Zakat funds, but such people have to go from pillar to post before qualifying for the assistance. The number of Zakat dependents is not coming down either, which is against the very spirit of the system. In fact, the billions claimed to have been spent through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) have also failed to bring about any positive change in the situation. The rising number of beggars shows that the Zakat system, for whatever reasons, has not brought about the blessings it should have. Since the number of those going below the poverty line is going up by the day, there is little hope for the number of Zakat recipients going down in the foreseeable future. Also, not a single person informed the government during the past three decades that he doesnt need Zakat any more as he or his children have started earning enough to make both ends meet. The system has been politicized to a large extent as the committees and their heads who distribute Zakat are nominees of the government. And it is an open secret that no one is given this position unless he has strong connections with the ruling party. Decades gone and 'everybody needs Zakat Federal Capital IMRAN MUKHTAR ISLAMABAD-The number of applicants seeking to get Zakat money through different heads has increased and the number of dependents decreased during the last decade in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) not because of any step taken by the authorities but due to the cut in funds from the federal government. Official sources say the federal government or the Federal Ministry of Religious Affairs have no plan or policy to rehabilitate the Zakat dependents permanently due to the lack of seriousness of the policy makers. The federal government slashed the budget up to 37 percent allocated for the distribution of Zakat money in the capital territory for the fiscal 2005-2006 on the plea that Islamabads population had decreased as compared to previous years, informed an official dealing with the accounts of Zakat and Usher office that works under the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA). However, he expressed his astonishment as to how the population of the capital could decrease when the countrys population was increasing day by day. Data available with The Nation shows that Rs 41,833,746 and Rs 40,139,000 were distributed among Zakat dependents consecutively during the fiscal 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 respectively in the capital territory. The data shows that Rs 24,171,704 were utilized for the year 2005-2006 while Rs 24,617,826 for the year 2006-2007, Rs 25,330,212 for 2007-2008, Rs 23,808,720 for 2008-2009 and Rs 12,331,754 were distributed among the dependents as Zakat money in the ICT. The data clearly shows that around 37 percent decrease occurred in the budget of Zakat for the capital after the fiscal 2004-2005. Zakat is being distributed in the capital through five heads, including subsistence allowance (Guzara Allowance), education stipend (Mohra Scholarship), dowry fund, religious education fund and health. There are as many as 150 local Zakat Committees working in the urban and rural areas of ICT under the supervision of a chairman Zakat and Usher. The number of subsistence allowance dependents in the capital was around 5000 till fiscal 2004-2005 which went down to 2,400 after the cut in budget from the federal government. The number of subsistence allowance dependents was 2,340 during the fiscal 2005-2006, 2,339 during 2006-2007 and it was 2,340 in the fiscal 2009-2010. District Zakat Officer (DZO) of ICTA, Mohammad Saleem said that the number of Zakat applicants increased during the previous year; however, this office could entertain a specific number of persons due to the limitations of the finances. He described the raise in inflation and poverty level as the major reasons behind the increase in the number of Zakat applicants. Responding to a question, he said that not a single Zakat dependent ever informed this office that he no more needed the Zakat money. He further said that Zakat money distribution was only discontinued in some cases due to the death of dependents. Zakat and Usher Office of ICTA had distributed Rs 9,095,000 through all Zakat programmes during the first half of current fiscal year. An official of the Zakat and Usher Official said that this office got budget in two installments in one fiscal year. So the subsistence allowance at the rate of Rs 500 for each beneficiary is distributed among all the dependents collectively for six months, he added. Back ground interviews with some officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs revealed that the government had no plan to rehabilitate these Zakat dependents permanently. DZO of ICT Administration Mohammad Saleem informed this scribe that the government had started the rehabilitation program for the Zakat dependents only in the year 2007 and it was discontinued after that. He said that under this programme, the government distributed Rs 10,000 each among illiterate dependents for the purchase of buffaloes and Rs 30,000 each among the educated dependents to learn computer courses for their rehabilitation permanently. Federal Capital Punjab IQTIDAR GILANI LAHORE Due to the Punjab governments failure to constitute Zakat committees at all tiers, thousands of deserving families and individuals will not get their share in the charity this year also, like it had happened in 2010. Out of the total amount allocated as Zakat Fund in the last fiscal year, over Rs 2.5 billion lapsed, while over Rs 3 billion are facing the same fate in the current financial year. The committees work at district, tehsil and local levels across the province. And in their absence the entire system comes to a standstill. Zakat and Ushr Department distributes Rs 3.5 billion annually amongst Mustehqeen, or deserving people, under different programmes, like guzara (subsistence) allowances, stipend to the students of educational institutions and religious seminaries, healthcare, rehabilitation and marriage of poor girls. Sixty percent of total allocated budget to a District Zakat Committee is fixed for guzara allowance, 18 pc for stipends to poor students, 8 pc for stipends to seminary students, 6 pc to healthcare of the poor, 4 pc each to marriage assistance of needy girls and social welfare projects. Over 275,000 people living below poverty line are benefiting from the Zakat fund, including 200,000 who get guzara allowance, 10,000 marriage grant and 24,000 vocational training institute students get stipends. The amount for Zakat fund and the number of beneficiaries have witnessed no change for the last so many years. Zakat distribution system is not helping people become self-sufficient. It is producing beggars. The amount in different schemes is meager. The only worthwhile assistance provided in any category is stipend and scholarship to deserving students at vocational training institutes. According to the formula, the department is giving Rs 500 per month to deserving families as guzara allowance, Rs 75 per month to primary, Rs 112 to high, Rs 375 to graduate and Rs 750 to postgraduate students. Medical, engineering and computer sciences students get Rs 874 per month as stipend. Primary to middle students at seminaries get Rs 500, up to BA Rs 750 and Masters Rs 1,000 per month. The department gives Rs 10,000 to deserving unmarried girls as marriage allowance. At a time when caterers charge more than Rs 500 per head for a single dish menu, the worth of this 'generous assistance can well be imagined. The department also releases Rs 20 per bed, per day to a DHQ hospital and Rs 15 per bed, per day to a THQ hospital for the treatment of deserving patients from the Zakat fund. The federal government directly releases Rs 250 million to teaching hospitals across the province and deducts it from the share of the provincial Zakat and Ushr department. According to insiders, the Punjab government is expected to constitute DZCs in the next few days with representation to the political figures for the first time. The constitution of committees, a legal requirement, will restart the process of distribution of Zakat money among thousands of deserving families not getting economic assistance from the allocated amount for the last couple of years. Zakat and Ushr department has already forwarded a summary to the Punjab Chief Minister for completing the legal requirement of constituting Zakat committees. The department has constituted 22,500 out of 25,267 local committees across the province. The remaining committees will be constituted during the current week. The process of constitution of district committees will be completed in 6-7 days, said Punjab Minister for Zakat and Ushr Malik Nadeem Kamran, adding, disbursement of Zakat money among deserving families would be started after completing the legal requirement of constitution of Zakat committees at district, tehsil and local level. He said that the department has already released money for the economic assistance of over 24,000 students at vocational training institutes. He said that disbursement of Zakat money to needy families as guzara allowance and marriage grant and to hospitals for treatment of patients would be released after the constitution of committees. He said that over Rs 3 billion were available with the department for distribution among registered needy families and individuals. He said that the available funds would not lapse as the provincial Zakat Council was competent to transfer the amount to next budget after devolution of the department from federation to the province. He said that the department has approached the federal government for the release of Rs 2.5 billion lapsed in the last fiscal year due to the absence of Zakat committees. Referring to the existing formula of giving a meagre amount to deserving postgraduate, medical and engineering students, the minister said that the government would do legislation and make the formula more rational. Answering a question, the minister said the provincial government wanted to give representation to notable and well-reputed personalities. Secretary Zakat and Ushr Karim Bakhsh Abid said that the department was getting Rs 3.5 billion annually from the federal government as its share in the Zakat fund. He said that there was no change in the allocated amount to the province for the last so many years. Federal government distributes amount collected from deduction of Zakat from saving accounts and certificates to the provinces according to the population. Punjab gets 55.97 pc of the total federal Zakat fund as its share. As the deducted amount from saving accounts is declining, the federal government adds some money from Zakat reserves and gives Rs 3.5 billion to the Punjab every year, he said. Punjab Sindh Ali Ousat KARACHI- The number Zakat recipients in Sindh stays at 300,000 for the last decade. There has been no increase or decrease in the number, according to statistics available here with the provincial Zakat office. During the last year, 300,000 people were given about Rs810 million out of the allocated amount of Rs840 million. The remaining amount of Rs30 million is lying with the government treasury and is expected to be used for the rehabilitation of the flood victims. Since a large number of people were affected by floods, the allocation is just nothing compared to the magnitude of the calamity. Official data shows that about 100,000 people got Rs 490 million in Guzra allowance, or subsistence allowance. Another 100,000 people got Rs 140 million for education stipends. As many as 23,000 seminary students received Rs550 million, while 24000 people got assistance of around Rs490 million under the head of healthcare and marriage. The office of the secretary Zakat said they have the data for three years only. The distribution of Zakat was much better in the tenure of President Gen Pervez Musharraf as compared to democratic political regime. As the ministry of Zakat has been devolved under 18th Amendment, the process of transfer of files is under way and once the records are transferred to Sindh, only then the exact data for the last then years could be given. According to official sources, no beneficiary has approached the government during the past one decade with the request that he does not need Zakat anymore. However, the accounts of those beneficiaries who passed away were closed automatically. On whether the government had chalked out any plans for permanent rehabilitation of those living on Zakat, the source said he was not aware of any strategy for the purpose. The source said that corruption in Zakat disbursement could only be controlled through strict monitoring and removing political influence while registering the recipients who really were the needy people. Once a transparent registration system was in place, the corruption could be countered effectively. The source stressed that there was a need to restructure the provincial Zakat Council. He suggested that the members of national and provincial assemblies, philanthropists and retired servants of good reputation should be included in the Zakat councils to ensure that only the needy get the assistance. Sindh Khyber Pakhtunkhwa SAID ALAM KHAN PESHAWAR - A total of Rs.672.557million are distributed among 265,141 deserving people every year on the basis of population ratio of 1998 census in 24 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, official sources told The Nation. Officials say poverty graph is going up in the province as compared to the other federating units, as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa economic report-2005 says 46 percent population are living below the poverty line. Every year the amount of Zakat is enhanced, a sum of Rs.82.274 million was allocated for the year 2010-11 against the budget estimates of Rs54. 290million for the financial year2009-10. This shows an increase of 15.45percent. At present 265,141people get Zakat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under 1998 census, when the total population of the province was 17,737,000. But now, the population has gone over 20million. Unfortunately, still the old formulate was being used, as it is believed that ratio of poor and poverty had increased not decreased, officials say. Following that old formula of population ratio for the distribution of Zakat district Abbottabad receives 4.9percent, Bannu 3.8percent, Battagram 1.7percent, Buner 2.8percent, Charsadda 5.7percent, Chitral 1.7percent, D.I.Khan 4.7percent, Dir Lower 4.2percent, Dir Upper 3.4percent, Hangu 1.7percent, Haripur 3.8percent, Karak 2.4percent,Kohat 3.1percent, Kohistan 2.6percent, Lakki Marwat 2.7percent, Malakand 2.5percent, Mansehra 6.4percent, Mardan 8.2percent, Nowshera 5.0percent, Peshawar 11.4percent, Shangla 2.4percent, Swabi 5.8percent, Swat 7.5percent and Tank 1.3 percent. So it is crystal clear that most of the share goes to Peshawar with 11.4 percent of the total Zakat funds, while district Tank gets the least 1.3percent, the officials said. Giving the details of district wise Zakat disbursement from 2003-04 to 2010-11, they said that with a slight ups and downs all the 24 districts have so far been paid different amounts in head of Zakat which included Abbottabad Rs41,467,000 (2003-04) Rs41, 460,000(2004-05)Rs31,052.000(2005-06)Rs32,836,000(2006-07)Rs34,055,627(2007-08)Rs33,830,000(2008-09)Rs33,682,940(2009-10).Bannu Rs31,881,000(2003-04)Rs31,770,000(2004-05) Rs25,134,000(2005-06)Rs26,184,274(2006-07) Rs26,174,338(2007-08)Rs24,621,000(2008-09)Rs25,852,388(1009-2010). Battagram Rs14,399,000(2003-04)RS15,000,000(2004-05)RS11,351,538(2005-06)Rs11,814,000(2006-07)Rs2,609,114(2007-08)Rs11,814,000(2008-09)Rs11,735,624(2009-10). Buner Rs23,746,000(2003-04)Rs23,700,000(2004-05)Rs14,047,000(2005-06) Rs21,392,000(2006-07)Rs19,565,350(2007-08)Rs19,350,000(2008-09)Rs19,294,045(2009-10). Charsadda Rs46,112,000(2003-04)Rs46,115,000(2004-05)Rs36,357,817(2005-06)Rs36,216,000(2006-07)Rs37,846,991(2007-08)Rs26,216,000(2008-09)Rs39,043,909(200910). Chitral Rs15,033,000(2003-04) Rs15,400,000(2004-05)Rs9,264,000(2005-06)Rs12,347,000(2006-07)Rs12,360,500(2007-08)Rs11,208,000(2008-09)Rs12,157,426(2009-10)D.I.Khan Rs 40,060,000(2003-04)Rs39,160,000(2004-05) Rs31,751,332(2005-06)Rs32,682,000(2006-07)Rs33,029,320(2007-08)Rs22,622,000(2008-09) Rs32,526,386(2009-10). Dir lower Rs 33,667,000(2003-04)Rs33,700,000(2004-05)Rs13,887,813(2005-06)Rs26,343,401(2006-07)Rs4,125,881(2007-08)Rs21,331,000(2008-09)Rs28,879,8399(2009-10).Dir Upper Rs27,141,000(2003-04)Rs27,145,000(2004-05)Rs20,096,662(2005-06)Rs22,081,000(2006-07)Rs11,916,500(2007-08)Rs22,081,000(2008-09)Rs23,430,427(2009-10). Hangu Rs,14,601,000(2003-04)Rs14,599,000(2004-05)Rs11,411,810(2005-06)Rs4,302,000(2006-07)Rs4,306,000(2007-08)Rs4,304,500(2008-09)Rs12,007,754(2009-10). Haripur Rs32,289,000(2003-04)rs32,299,000(2004-05)Rs8,717,816(2005-06)Rs31,572,000(2006-07)Rs25,874,750(2007-08)Rs20,622,000(2008-09)Rs26,464,681(2009-10) Karak Rs20,024,000(2003-04)Rs20,000,000(2004-05)Rs15,794,792(2005-06)Rs17,014,101(2006-07)Rs29,406,573(2007-08)Rs18,194,000(2008-09)Rs16,395,857(2009-10). Kohat Rs26,455,000(2003-04)Rs26,550,000(2004-05)Rs20,881,188(2005-06)Rs26,539,000(2006-07)Rs29,406,573(2007-08)Rs16,497,000(2008-09)Rs21,498,307(2009-10). Kohistan Rs22,133,000(2003-04)Rs22,145,000(2004-05)Rs17,529,400(2005-06)Rs18,267,000(2006-07)Rs13,631,000(2007-08)Rs12,506,000(2008-09)Rs18,103,475(2009-10). Laki Marwat Rs23,084,000(2003-04)Rs23,085,000(2004-05)Rs18,201,216(2005-06)Rs18,768,000(2006-07)Rs80,250(2007-08)Rs18,788,000(2008-09)Rs18,674,945(2009-10). Malakand Rs20,459,000(2003-04)Rs19,469,000(2004-05)Rs16,111,710(2005-06)17,325,000(2006-07)Rs240,000(2007-08)Rs10,525,000(2008-09)Rs17,259,871(2009-10). Mansehra Rs54,091,000(2003-04)Rs54,092,000(2004-05)Rs42,558,737(2005-06)Rs44,226,000(2006-07)Rs12,832,790(2007-08)Rs55,044,000(2008-09)Rs44,030,693(2009-10). Mardan Rs 68,719,000(2003-04)Rs68,790,000(2004-050Rs54,175,500(2005-06)Rs55,944,000(2006-07)Rs56,393,695(2007-08)Rs44,226,00(2008-09)Rs55,691,486 (2009-10). Nawshera Rs41,180,000(2003-04)Rs41,145,000(2004-05)Rs33,093,000(2005-06)Rs34,489,000(2006-07)29,406,573(2007-08)Rs22,481,000(2008-09)Rs33,519,662(2009-10). Peshawar Rs96,576,000 (2003-04) Rs95,676,000 (2004-05) Rs76,117,689 (2005-06) Rs77,460,000 (2006-07) Rs79,248,134 (2007-08) Rs77,128,559 (2009-10). Shangla Rs20,315,000 (2003-04)Rs20,005,000 (2004-05) Rs13,887,812 (2005-06) Rs16,761,500(2007-08) Rs16,654,000 (2008-09) Rs16,565,938 (2009-10). Swabi Rs47,887,000(2003-04)Rs46,887,000(2004-05)Rs37,215,000(2005-06)Rs 39,375,000(2006-07)Rs27,461,019(2007-08)Rs39,375,000(2008-09)Rs39,309,236(2009-10). Swat Rs59,201,000(2003-04)Rs60,201,000(2004-05)Rs46,143,100(2005-06)Rs49,439,739(2006-07)Rs48,631,500(2007-08)Rs48,180,000(2008-09)Rs47,983,392(2009-10) and district Tank was released ) Rs 10,977,000(2003-04)11,110,000(2004-05)Rs 8,318,000(2005-06)Rs8,986,552(2006-07)Rs4,606,396(2007-08)Rs9,153,000(2008-09)Rs9,089,155(2009-10). The above figures reflected that Rs831,499,000 were given to districts for distribution of Zakat in 2003-04) Rs829,458,000 (2004-05) Rs613,098,312 (2005-06) Rs682,257,067 (2006-07) Rs560,013,375 (2007-08)Rs607,463,500 (2008-09) and Rs680,326,000 (2009-10) Interestingly, not a single person has so far informed Zakat department that he/she doesnt need to get Zakat anymore, officials said. They think that the situation will remain unchanged in the future as with every passing day poor is getting poorer. Besides the distribution of Zakat, Provincial Zakat and Ushr Department has also disbursed Rs1.173billion by introducing various schemes focusing on poor students, sick people, parents in need of assistance for marriages of their daughters, technical/skill development etc. In 2009-10, the government distributed Rs295.3million as Guzara allowance, Rs88.60million education stipends, Rs39.37million Deeni Madaris, Rs29.53million healthcare, Rs39.36 marriage assistance, Rs492.2million regular help of needy people, Rs24.61million Eid grant and Rs163.49million technical education assistance to poor students in the province. The KP government has established an endowment fund of Rs.2000million for the welfare of the poor during financial year2010-11. It has launched a two-year Bacha Khan Poverty Alleviation programme by allocating Rs 1500million, which aims to address rural poverty. This programme incorporates three development components i.e. social mobilization, livelihood strengthening and social protection. Under another programme -Bacha Khan Khapl Rozgar scheme interest- free loans would be given to deserving people for income generating business. The loan of Rs25, 000 to 100,000 would be granted through the Bank of Khyber, which would benefit up to 64,000 persons. It is to be noted that 30percent of the funds are reserved for females. The funds are available for people of all the 24 districts in the ratio of Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) formula. In addition, to help the farming community, the provincial government has allocated Rs2billion for the reinstatement of the Cooperative banks and its allied organizations. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Balochistan BARI BALOCH QUETTA - The number of needy people in Balochistan seeking Zakat from government is increasing with the passage of time owing to rising poverty, recent floods and long drought. The results of recent poverty census under Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) show that the number people who are living below the poverty line is higher as compared to other provinces. This situation demands more funds to meet the increasing need of the deserving people but dearth of resources with the provincial government is the biggest hurdle in this regard. The Zakat Department has been devolved to province under 18th amendment, but authorities of provincial department are not happy with this step as according to them this step would further decrease the flow of resources for Zakat. The officials of the Zakat department said that following the devolvement of Zakat department to provinces, the dearth of funds would be felt more seriously. The Zakat collection in Balochistan is very low as compared to Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pashtoonkhwa. Thus, Balochistan is requesting that Zakat may not be devolved, they added. Strangely enough, Balochistan, the poorest and the most backward of all provinces was given less resources in financial year 2009-10 as compared to the preceding year. According to official data, Balochistan got Rs 262 million in financial year 2008-09 and Rs207 million in 2009-10 from the federal government The number of destitute people has increased in the largest province of the country but the flow of resources in Zakat decreased. According to officials of Zakat Department,Rs182,840,525 were distributed to 114,162 deserving people in 2005-06, Rs 191,585,484 amongst 133,859 in 2006-07, Rs 47,034,816 amongst 40,475 in 2007-08, Rs 254,274,175 amongst 136,298 in 2008-09 and Rs 200,909,726 amongst 109,610 in 2009-10. Officials said provincial Zakat Department had received Rs 189,438,000 in 2005-06, Rs 194,218,000 in 2006-07, Rs 197,783,000 in 2007-08, Rs 262,573,000 in 2008-09 and Rs 207,437,500 in 2009-10. We are getting more applications throughout the province every year that suggest that number of people seeking Zakat is rising, an official of Zakat department said and adding that poverty, floods, particularly long drought in some districts of Balochistan not only a large number of livestock was killed but it had badly affected the agriculture sector increasing the dependency of people on Zakat Fund. No decrease has been recorded in the list of deserving people. So far no one has come to us with the words that he does not need Zakat anymore said officials. They said they receive more than Rs 180 million under Zakat funds in two installments, which is inadequate for deserving people in Balochistan. Some time we receive funds very late from the federal government that causes delay in provision of Zakat in time to the needy people, who regularly visit the Zakat offices, an official said. Though the amount given to deserving people in Zakat is very small but the department also helps the needy people in their treatment or any serious sickness. Officials said that the government was spending huge amounts on the needy and deserved people without any political affiliation or discrimination. Guzara allowance, dowry and free- of-cost medicines were being provided to the poor and other deserving persons in the major hospitals of the province, they said, and adding that vocational training were also being imparted to poor people and after completion of their training they were given a tool box costing 5000 rupees so that they could stand on their own feet. The government is distributing Zakat funds under 1981 census. A Zakat beneficiary, Gul Ahmed, resident of Killi Badini of Nushki district told this scribe that he and other many deserving people faced a lot of hardships to obtain Rs 1000 zakat per month. Mostly deserving people do not have bank accounts and Zakat amount is paid by cross cheque due to which many poor people cannot get cash from the bank. Balochistan