Helping marginalized segments is a moral, religious responsibility of us

• The President commended the Bait-ul Maal for its dynamic and enduring efforts in providing financial assistance,
• He said that donor organizations have distributed food packages amongst the deserving in various regions of the country.
• AJK Government would help identify and document deserving individuals and families.

ISLAMABAD: President Azad Jammu Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan Thursday said that as human beings it is our moral, social and also religious obligation and responsibility to provide social protection to the marginalized and indigent segments of our society.

The President made these remarks while speaking to Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal (PBM)  Aon Abbas Buppi during a visit to the Bait-ul-Maal head office, a news release said.

The President commended the Bait-ul Maal for its dynamic and enduring efforts in providing financial assistance, social protection and vocational training to the impoverished segments of the society including widows, orphans and especially the disabled.

MD Bait-ul-Maal also informed the President that the PBM has been active in the process of directly or indirectly assisting people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

He said that donor organizations have distributed food packages amongst the deserving in various regions of the country. He added that the PBM would also visit all districts of AJK to help identify the deserving and assist them during the current lockdown.

Other forms of assistance, he said, include financial assistance for medical procedures and education.

President AJK welcomed the proposals of the MD PBM and suggested that for the immediate relief of the local population ration packages may be distributed in all areas of AJK.

He also said that the AJK Government would help identify and document deserving individuals and families.

The President said that the coronavirus lockdown has had an economic impact on the general population and any form of assistance by government functionaries will be welcomed.

In this regard, he said, the AJK Government is already working in close liaison with the Federal Government and this time around the early disbursement of Zakat has been ensured by the AJK Government.