- ICTD carries out a survey through telephone interviews of 7,500 people.
- The report reveals that 50 million Pakistanis gave RS619bn in Zakat.
- The amount exceeds food, Bisp disbursement, development aid 2022.
Pakistani are known for their lifting hand approach to beneficial causes, and several organizations operate in the country while they are financed only by public donations.
However, the true scope of the charity has been revealed through a survey, according to which, up to 50 million Pakistanis gave RS619 billion, worth $ 2.19 billion, in 2024 in terms of Zakat.
Zakat is one of the five central pillars of Islam and refers to the amount that each Muslim is obliged to give to those in need every year, as long as he qualifies. Zakat is typically calculated in 2.5% of the total amount that exceeds Nisab’s threshold.
The survey, conducted through computer -assisted telephone interviews in 2024 as a result of an association between the International Tax and Development Center (ICTD) and the University of Administration Sciences (LUMS), reveals that the average contributions during this time were around RS15,000.
Interestingly, the study shows that the estimated amount of Zakat exceeded the distributed one by the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), which stood at RS592 billion and also the Federal Tax (FED) of RS577.4 billion collected by the Government.
In addition, Zakat’s amount also exceeded the official development of the development received by the country in 2022, promoting RS376 billion.
In addition, the Pakistanis preferred overwhelmingly to give their own Zakat, instead of trusting the mandatory collection system administered by the State, with more than two thirds that give it directly to individuals.
“Approximately one tenth of Zakat donors give the mosques and school, with a smaller proportion given to NGOs,” adds the report.
