No disbursement of Zakat in Punjab for last two years

The civil bureaucracy under the Khadim-e-Ala Shahbaz Sharif is playing with widows, orphans and other destitute, as the Punjab government has not disbursed a single penny out of Zakat fund since last two fiscal years, particularly to administrative lethargy. The Punjab government disbanded all Zakat committees in 2008-09 and ordered reconstitution of the Zakat committees across the province.
However, a lethargic attitude of the civil bureaucracy failed to finalise the committees' formation in the province. In current fiscal year, the disbursement is delayed further as the Khadim-e-Ala has directed to hold police verification before disbursement of Rs 500 to each among deserving ones.
The government collects billions of rupees under the head of Zakat fund in Punjab from banking sector. A huge amount has already been stuck up with provincial exchequer owing to lethargic and inactive attitude of the concerned authorities.
However, sources from among the Zakat department told Business Recorder that the fundamental changes to the disbursement system caused delayed and the department has completed verification system of deserving families in 18 out of 36 districts in Punjab so far.
According to them, lengthy process of verification of each and every deserving family is proven main cause behind delay. However, the social activists termed it a lame excuse and pointed out that the department has all record of the deserving families in the province and the process may be completed in two weeks in case the concerned authorities are sincere to their job.
It may be noted that a scam was also unearthed recent past when the record the department was sealed by the government. President General Zia-ul-Haq had introduced Zakat-O-Ushr Act back in 80s, inviting criticism from the public at large. The banks were authorised to deduct Zakat on annual basis. Purpose of the exercise was to disburse Zakat money through state organs but it failed to achieve desired results due to non-committed attitude of the Zakat committees at the union level.