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 low-income registered families and widowed women across Rawalpindi Division on the occasion of Eidul Azha, following the suspension of similar payments during Eidul Fitr amid acute financial crisis.
More than 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 for the past 14 months.
Officials confirmed that due to severe financial constraints, no special Eid grant would be distributed this Eidul Azha, leaving thousands of deserving families in distress.
For the past 14 months, district Zakat councils have also not awarded scholarships to underprivileged students or provided financial support to families of visually impaired people and leprosy patients.
Furthermore, free medical treatment, surgeries and kidney dialysis services for poor patients in government hospitals have remained suspended for the past two years and two months because Zakat funds were not released.
Under the previous system, eligible families received monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,000 either every month or quarterly, while special Eid grants ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000 were traditionally disbursed on Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha.
Officials said the last such payment was made during Eidul Fitr 2025. Since then, no financial help has been provided to the beneficiaries or widowed women due to the ongoing funding crisis.
A large number of women reportedly visit the Zakat Council offices daily but return disappointed after being informed that no funds are available.
At present, all six districts of Rawalpindi Division, including Rawalpindi district, have been without permanent presidents of district Zakat councils for the last two years, while several posts in other districts have remained vacant for almost three years.
Officials said there are 1,166 union councils in Rawalpindi district and approximately 3,500 local union councils across the division. These local Zakat committees were dissolved two years ago at the end of their terms and are currently headed by temporary administrators.
The affected beneficiaries, including Ruqaiya Bibi, Sakina Begum and Gulfraz Bibi, said they had repeatedly visited the Zakat Council offices since Eidul Fitr but had not received assistance.
According to the women, office staff informed them that payments would be transferred through Easypaisa once the funds were available.
