LAHORE: The Zakat Department had disbursed Rs 35.8 million for the marriage of 3,060 deserving girls under Marriage Grant during first half of the current fiscal year.

Talking to parents of the needy girls, who met him at his office on Wednesday, Punjab Minister for Zakat and Ushr, Mian Khadim Husain Wattoo said welfare of women is top priority of the government. “Marriage enhances social status of both men and women, and parents wish to arrange marriage their children in time,” he observed.

The minister said the Central Zakat Council has linked the marriage grant to provision of ‘Nikah Naama’ of the applicants, while local Zakat committee determines the right and deservingness of the applicants.

Marriage grant of Rs 10,000 is given to those adult Muslim women, who are dependent on her parents, guardian or social welfare institutions and payment is made through crossed cheques in the name of beneficiary only, he added.

Wattoo said the department also keeps an active liaison with the bank authorities to ensure timely payment to the deserving girl. He said the government has adopted very easy way of issuing the marriage grant to facilitate maximum deserving people.

Source: The News

Date:3/16/2007