ISLAMABAD: inistry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony had collected Rs 29,810 million Zakat in last five year and disbursed among four provinces for onward distribution to the needy and deserving, said official sources.

Giving details of Zakat collected by the ministry from saving accounts of banks, the sources said Rs 4,053 million Zakat was collected in 2013, whereas Rs 8,009 million were collected in 2018. The collected Zakat was subsequently distributed among the provinces, he added.

The transparent and judicious usages of such a huge amount of Zakat to the deserving can help eliminating poverty and unemployment from the society, said Prayer leader (Imam) Jamia Amir Hamza, Seventh Road, Rawalpindi, Mufti Khubaib Salman.

He told APP that the payment of Zakat was obligatory for the Muslims, who possess at least Rs 40,000 excess money, after meeting their basic needs.

Payment of Zakat must be started from deserving brother, sisters, close relatives, neighbours, fellow citizens, etc. The Zakat could also be given to credible welfare organizations, bearing educational expenses of a deserving person, building hospital and schools.

He urged the government to play its role in making the distribution of Zakat transparent.

He said the main purpose of Zakat payments was to maintain a balanced society. He said Zakat should be given to the deserving by the concerned person with own hands.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2018

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