Balochistan’s Needy Deprived of Zakat for Two Years as Rs4 Billion Funds Remain Unused Due to Government Negligence
Zakat Council and Committees Expired in June 2023; New Setup Delayed by Current Government — Department May Be Dissolved Amid 70% Poverty Rate
**Quetta (Daily Qudrat)** — Despite having over **Rs4 billion** in Zakat funds, thousands of deserving families across Balochistan have been deprived of financial assistance for nearly two years due to the government’s failure to reconstitute Zakat bodies.
According to officials of the **Balochistan Zakat Department**, the term of the provincial Zakat Council and district committees expired in **June 2023**. When the caretaker government took office in August 2023, it deferred the formation of new councils, leaving the matter for the incoming elected government. Since then, the issue has remained unresolved.
Sources revealed that the current provincial government not only amended the **Zakat Act** but also indicated plans to **dissolve the Zakat Department**, further delaying the disbursement of funds. As a result, **billions of rupees meant for poor and needy citizens remain idle** in government accounts.
Officials noted that Zakat distribution in Balochistan has been irregular since **2018**, with funds released only twice over the past seven years. Meanwhile, official data indicates that **over 70% of the province’s population lives below the poverty line**, making the delay in financial aid particularly alarming.
Economic and social experts have urged the provincial government to **immediately restore the Zakat Council and district committees**, ensure **transparent and timely distribution of funds**, and revive the welfare mechanism to support the province’s most vulnerable communities.
