The opposition members criticised the government here in the National Assembly over Zakat disbursement policy, which they said was discriminatory towards Balochistan and NWFP.
MNA Maulana Abdul Akber Chitrali alleged the government for misappropriation in disbursement of zakat and criticised the government for low quota for the NWFP and Balochistan.
However, Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq said that zakat is being distributed according to population rate in the provinces.
He said that the government has collected total zakat of Rs 4664.93 million during 2005, including Punjab Rs 3774.940 million while the amount disbursed among deserving persons in the NWFP was Rs 995.591 million.
Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani said that huge amount was being collected by the government in lieu of zakat and Usher yet there is no decrease recorded in poverty rate of the country. The opposition MNA proposed that zakat should be distributed among victims of quake- hit areas.
Replying to a question, the religious minister said 57.36 percent quota has been fixed for Punjab, 23.73 percent for Sindh, 5.11 percent for Balochistan, 13.8 for NWFP, 0.6 percent for Islamabad and 0.75 percent for Northern Areas.
Ijazul Haq said that Rs 200 million has been allocated by Central Zakat Council for calamity-hit area, adding that the amount has been sorted out and will be distributed according to the directions given by the Prime Minister.
The minister informed the House that the government has spent Rs 14 billion to reduce poverty rate and more funds will be provided to poverty-stricken areas.
Dr Azra Fazal asked the Minister for Tourism to state the terms and conditions fixed by the government for joint ventures between Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and private companies.
Ghazi Gulab Jamal replied that PTDC has received 20 proposals from private sector for joint ventures and they are being processed and after short-listing, selected parties will be called.
A Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal member criticised that PTDC is charging high accommodation rates at its motels in Northern Areas.
M P Bhandara was of the view that if the government was earning huge profits from Industrial sector then why tourism was being made a source of huge profit.
Raja Pervez Ashraf from the opposition said that the government must encourage partnership by private sector in tourism department and PTDC must encourage tourist activity through publicity.
Jamila Ahmed inquired from the minister to state what the government has done to raise the salaries of PTDC employees and positive presentation of culture to the world.
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