Rawalpindi:
Due to a serious ‘financial crisis’, District Zakat and the Ushr Department on Thursday failed to distribute Eid gifts to 10 deserved recipients, including orphans and widow women, in Rawalpindi -District on the occasion of Eidul Azha.
Previously, no financial assistance or Eid gifts were distributed under Eidul Fitr.
On Thursday, needy individuals, widows and other deserved recipients who visited the Zakat office in the hope of receiving financial support, informed that there would be no payout, which led to a broad protest among the families concerned.
In the last 18 months, no financial support has been distributed to eligible recipients across Punjab due to the ongoing economic crisis. Before Eidul Fitr, there were messages of EID gifts worth RS12,000 per year. Receives from the 20th to the 25th of Ramazan. On the 28th of Ramazan, however, the recipients were told, “there is no money” and the distribution was canceled.
Similarly, this Eidul Azha, published an official announcement on April 28, stated that RS24,000 would be given to each deserving individual as part of a one-time EID gift. The news had brought joy to many needy families, widows and orphans. However, when a large number of women arrived in the Zakat office to collect the promised help, they were informed, however, that no funds had been released and the Eid gifts were canceled. Officials told them that the money could be paid out after Eid when the funds are available.
Many women were seen in tears. A widow, Razia Begum, expressed his distress and said, “They also humiliated us on Eidul Fitr. At that time we were told we would receive RS12,000; now RS24,000 were promised as annual support, and again, and we have been rejected. If there is no money they should not give false promises.”
Families of patients suffering from leprosy were also denied financial assistance, despite being performed among the recipients.
Employees at the Zakat Department in Rawalpindi revealed that they themselves have not received their salaries even though staff in other government departments were paid on May 30 and 31 May. Without their salaries, these employees said they couldn’t buy clothes or shoes for their children, and their Eid celebration was destroyed. They have been told that wages may be issued on June 10 or 11.
On Thursday, all deserved women and families who came in the hope of receiving financial assistance turned disappointed.
The Zakat department typically delivers a monthly residence allowance of RS2,000, paid every third to four months via Easypaisa. However, due to the ongoing financial crisis across Punjab, this allowance has not been paid out in the last 18 months. A whole year’s unpaid help corresponding to RS24,000 should be given as an Eid gift this time, but – like Eidul Fitr – Eidul Azha went without help due to unavailability of funds.
