KARACHI, Pakistan: Sindh government, in principal, has decided to start collection of Zakat for which a letter is being sent to the Federal government for information while a similar request would also be made to the State Bank of Pakistan.
This decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah here said a statement here Monday.
The meeting was attended by Senior Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, Advisor to CM on Zakat Dost Muhammad Rahmoo, Chairman Zakat Council Sindh Justice (rtd) Zahid Qurban Alvi, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, Principal Secretary to CM Alamuddin Bullo, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, Secretary Zakat Riaz Memon, Secretary Inter-provincial Coordination Qazi Shahid Parvez and others.
Sindh Chief Secretary Siddique Memon said that after the 18 Amendment the Sindh government passed Zakat & Usher Bill 2011. Under the bill, the Sindh government has constituted Zakat Council and the same law allows the provincial government to collect and distribute Zakat, he added.
Secretary Inter-provincial Coordination Qazi Shahid Pervez said that the legal and constitutional position of the Sindh government for collection and distribution of Zakat was very clear.
A committee constituted by Council of Common Interest (CCI) in its meeting had decided to continue zakat collection and distribution mechanism till 2015.
The Sindh CM decided that the Sindh government would collect Zakat from 2016, therefore the federal government be informed for the purpose.
He directed the CS Sindh Siddique Memon to write a letter to the Federal government, particularly the Secretary CCI for information that the Sindh government has taken formal decision to collect zakat from this year on its own.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah also directed the Sindh CS to write another letter to the State Bank for collection of zakat on behalf of the provincial government.
“I would suggest you to have a meeting with deputy Governor of State Bank and formulate and finalise mechanism for collection of zakat and transfer the same in the account of provincial government account,” he directed.
It may be noted that presently the Federal Government gives 23.7 percent share of its total collection of Zakat Funds to Sindh.
The Sindh CM also directed the Zakat Council and Secretary Zakat to explore other ways and means of collection of Zakat, apart from deduction from the banks.
He also urged the Sindh CS to suggest formation of Zakat Council afresh in which representatives of Chamber of Commerce & Industry and other people of good repute be included.
Source: APP
