Six districts were left without traditional aid; Beneficiaries struggle amid skyrocketing inflation
RAWALPINDI:
Thousands of zakat recipients across Rawalpindi division have been 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, which is normally disbursed between the 20th and 25th of Ramadan through digital payment services, has not been issued this year.
Many women from registered beneficiary families have reportedly visited the zakat council offices daily in the hope of receiving funds, only to return home disappointed.
The delay comes against a backdrop of administrative challenges within the zakat system. The legal structure of zakat committees at both the district and local levels has not yet been fully formed.
In Rawalpindi district alone, there are 1,166 local zakat committees along with a district-level council, but for the last two and a half years no incumbent president has been appointed to the district body.
Currently, the deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi oversees the council on an interim basis, with no formally appointed committee members. Meanwhile, the mandate of local zakat committees expired about 18 months ago, and teachers have been temporarily assigned as 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, both district and local zakat committees currently lack regularly elected chairmen and members.
Rawalpindi District Zakat Council officials have stated that the Eid assistance of Rs 12,000 will continue to be provided, attributing the delay to technical reasons.
They confirmed that funds have been allocated and are expected to be transferred to beneficiaries’ accounts later this week or shortly after Eid.
The council added that payments will be made through Easypaisa and that notifications will be sent to registered beneficiaries once the funds are released. Distribution is expected to be completed in the last week of March, after the Eid holidays.
The authorities further indicated that it is also planned to release zakat payment for the last quarter of the current financial year (April to June). This tranche will include financial aid for medical treatments and surgeries in public hospitals.
