LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Zakat and Usher Naghma Mushtaq Lang, presiding over a routine departmental meeting has stated that federal government has been approached for the provision of Zakat funds to the provincial government.
She stated that the timely transfer of Zakat fund would ensure the endowment of funds to the needy segments of the society well in time. Along with it, it has also been decided to take necessary steps to make the clerical vacancies permanent in the department.
The meeting was attended by Department of Zakat Secretary Hassan Iqbal and various Zakat committee’s chairmen. The minister stated that the role of the Zakat Department is very pivotal in providing financial support to the impoverished strata at the grassroots. Through an efficient system of Zakat distribution, poverty is alleviated and the low-income families get the necessary support of the government to live an honourable life.
She said that important steps have been taken by the government to end the sufferings of the needy people and added that government has introduced different reforms to provide free healthcare as well as educational facilities to the people who are in need of them.
Similarly, the needy students are also provided free opportunities in public sector vocational training institutes to learn Information Technology (IT) and other technical and vocational courses to excel in life.
She informed the meeting that the internal mechanism of Zakat Department was being improved further and in this regard, it has also been decided to introduce the biometric system so that system of Zakat distribution could be made fully transparent.