ISLAMABAD: A total amount of Rs7,570.910m Zakat fund has been distributed in bulk amongst the provinces and other administrative areas during fiscal year FY2016-17.
Among the total amount, Rs4,038.687m was given to Punjab while Rs1,669.408m to Sindh, Rs973.059 to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Rs359.792m to Balochistan, Economic Survey 2016-17 reported. Besides that Rs186.230m have been provided to Islamabad Capital Territory, Rs98.414m to Gilgit-Baltistan and Rs245.320m to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
Under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the subject of Zakat has been devolved to the provinces/federal Areas. Zakat plays an important role in poverty alleviation. These funds are utilised for assistance to the needy, indigent, poor, orphans, widows, handicapped and disabled. Such poor segments of society are provided Zakat funds either directly through respective local Zakat Committee or indirectly through institutions ie educational, vocational, social institutions and hospitals.
