To help the weak, the poor and the destitute stand on their own feet is obligatory upon all of us. In a society where class differences are on the rise, discrimination, rift and restlessness increases. Therefore those who are financially underprivileged and helpless should be helped, so that they can help themselves. And that is the topmost priority of our country.
Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) has established vocational centres in all districts of the country to impart various skills to orphans, widows and the poor. These centres were first initiated in 1995. Besides the four provinces, the centres have been established in the Northern Areas and 137 in Fata.
During the fiscal year 2003-04, 12 schools were selected with Rs 3 million expenditure upon each, they were provided with modern technology and facilities. Rs 108 million has been spent on vocational centres to date. The budget of every school is Rs 0.925 million, 22,207 students have got training, while according to current figures, 8,699 students are getting education.
PBM, with the assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB), has revised the computerised data of 45 lac people for the sake of eliminating child labour and imparting education to children working in different places. The PBM with special support from government, would spend Rs 120 million to run the Child Support Programme. With the new year, as a Child Support Programme, a pilot pragramme has been initiated in five districts. Initially, this programme would be carried out as a test in Layyah, Sibbi, Larkana, Sukkur and Badin respectively.
Through the Bait-ul-Mal and Zakat system, not only the misery of the poor are redeemed, but they also get help to stand on their feet. According to the head office officials, cheques of some Rs 16 lacs were distributed in April. They said that besides Jahez funds (dowry funds) and scholarships, the deserving and the destitute were given their rights. The Food Support Programme, which is running under the supervision of PBM, provides aid to two million deserving people.
In 2006, 313,024 persons in Sindh were given an aid of 914,544 million rupees, which is 10% of the total aid. To place deserving people back on their feet, the Bait-ul-Mal is working on various projects. Those willing to start their own businesses are given an amount of Rs 3000, so that they can start their business on a lower scale, and for that Rs 15,131,660, have been distributed among 998 individuals.
In Punjab, Rs 210,517,154 has been distributed among 9,153, in Sindh, Rs 119,077,925 among 10,587 people, in NWFP, Rs 60,044,016 among 3,032 people, in Balochistan, Rs 22,682,349 among 2,125 people and in Islamabad Rs 27,834,193 among 2,687 deserving people. In this way, an amount of Rs 105,318,233 has been distributed among 27,854 persons respectively. The Department of Bait-ul-Mal has got Zamrad Khan, who enjoys the reputation of a highly talented and hardworking lawyer, as Managing Director.
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