Zakat Department Cancels Eid Payouts Again

The District Zakat and Ushr Department in Rawalpindi has once again failed to distribute Eid gifts and financial aid to deserving recipients, including orphans and widowed women, due to a severe financial crisis.

On Thursday, needy individuals who visited the Zakat office hoping for assistance ahead of Eid ul Adha were informed that no disbursement would take place, leading to widespread disappointment and protest among affected families.

This marks the second consecutive Eid without any financial support, as no aid was distributed during Eid ul Fitr either. For the past 18 months, eligible beneficiaries across Punjab have not received the usual monthly subsistence allowance of R. s2,000, typically paid every three to four months via EasyPaisa.

Earlier announcements had promised Eid gifts of Rs. 12,000 per recipient for Eid ul Fitr and Rs. 24,000 for Eid ul Adha. However, both times, recipients were told at the last minute that funds were unavailable and the distributions were canceled. Many women, including widows and families of leprosy patients, expressed their distress and frustration over the repeated unfulfilled promises.

Zakat Department employees in Rawalpindi also reported not receiving their own salaries, unlike staff in other government departments who were paid at the end of May. Employees said the delay has affected their ability to celebrate Eid with their families, with hopes that salaries might be issued after Eid.

As a result, all deserving families who came in hopes of receiving financial assistance returned home empty-handed, as the ongoing financial crisis continues to prevent the release of Zakat funds across the province.