Seminar speakers say KP govt to amend Zakat Act

MANSEHRA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is going to amend Zakat Act 2011 before the start of next financial year to include the transgender persons in its beneficiaries.

“Earlier, we can give Zakat only to widowed/divorced women, people with disabilities, orphans and senior citizens but after the proposed amendment, we could extend our list of deserving individuals to transgender persons too,” Asghar Ali, the district officer Zakat Department, told an interactive session organised by the Aawaz district forum here on Wednesday. Heads of public sector departments, women, transgender persons, religious minorities and people with disabilities attended the session and interacted with each other.

“We received applications from 1363 disabled persons and 863 of them were rejected and only 500 applicants were paid Rs30 million Zakat,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Saibaan Development Organisation managing director Sahibzada Jawad Alfaizi said that religious minorities were not entitled to the Zakat and they could move to Baitul Maal for such financial assistance.

Speaking on the occasion, District Social Welfare Officer Sabir Shah said that because of his department’s efforts, transgender persons could receive education at Hazara University entirely free of cost. District Labour Officer Shah Hussain and former MPA Sajid Tabassum also attended the event.