Managing Director, Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, M Zammurd Khan hosted a farewell lunch on Wednesday at the prestigious Islamabad Club in honour of Syed Yusuf Rza Gilani, the dethroned Prime Minister of Pakistan. The media reported that the former prime minister reached the venue in a self-driven vehicle without protocol.
The Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal was established in 1991 to provide social protection to the poor and marginalised segments of the society. For this purpose PBM is mandated to provide financial assistance to the destitute, widows, orphans, invalids, infirm and other needy persons. The PBM Act 1991 does not authorise the managing director to squander PBM funds on lunches and dinners for friends and benefactors.
Mr Yusuf Raza should not have attended the PBM lunch. He has eaten the lunch at the expense of more deserving and needy persons. He should apologise to the nation for this lunch.
The managing director has misused the funds of the Bait-ul-Mal for personal and political ends. He should be held accountable for this act of misuse of funds of an organisation created for the benefit of the destitute only. The guests of Mr Zammurd Khan did not qualify to receive benefits under the PBM Act 1991.
ASGHAR MAHMOOD
Islamabad
