Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Ejazul Haq said effective steps had been taken for the transparency of Zakat system. For this purpose, he said a federal zakat council was being formed for the check and balance of zakat funds.
Talking to newsmen after coming from Bahawalpur, the minister said the federal Zakat council would comprise of MNAs and members of local chamber of commerce and industry while the federal government would arrange the audit of Zakat distribution funds.
Similarly, the provincial Zakat council would also consist of legislators to monitor the zakat system. If the provincial zakat council fails to take action in the zakat distribution affairs, the federal council would have to take action on the matter, he added.
Ejaz declared that the present Zakat system was running properly but "we are trying to improve it further. He said his negotiations with Tanzeem-ul- Madaris Arabia (Organisation of religious seminaries) remained successful on various issues. He added the government would not only provide financial assistance to Tanzeem-ul-Madaris but also introducing classes till class X in seminaries The government was going to recognise Tanzeem-ul-Madaris as a board of education having jurisdiction to conduct examinations and issue matriculation certificates, he said and added two government representatives would also be part of this education board for check and balance.
The federal minister said private tour operators performed an effective role in the Hajj affairs under the previous Hajj policy. He, however, warned the federal government would take action against private tour operators in case of complaints against them regarding the violation of terms and condition and prescribed laws.
To a question, he said 98 percent madaris had been registered, adding more than 200,000 students were under education in religious Madaris. The federal minister said the government wanted to chalk out regular Umra policy like Hajj policy with the collaboration of the Saudi government and the government was thinking of issuing special Umra passports.
He said the Opposition was highly terrified with the popularity of present regime and it had started making hue and cry and levelling allegation of rigging so that it could hide its defeat in the forthcoming elections.
He said the general elections would be held according to its schedule in free, fair and transparent manner. The parliament was going to complete its tenure first time in the parliamentary history of Pakistan and the present assemblies would elect General Pervez Musharraf as President of Pakistan in November 2007.
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