Once again, the District Zakat and Ushr Department in Rawalpindi has failed to provide Eid gifts and financial support to those in need — including orphans and widowed women — due to a severe financial crisis.
On Thursday, people in need who went to the Zakat office hoping for help ahead of Eid ul Adha were told that no aid would be given out. The news sparked disappointment and even protests from families who had been counting on the support.
This is now the second Eid in a row — after Eid ul Fitr — with no financial assistance. In fact, for the past 18 months, eligible recipients across Punjab haven’t received the usual Rs. 2,000 monthly stipend, which used to be paid every 3 to 4 months through EasyPaisa.
Earlier, the Zakat Department had promised Eid gifts of Rs. 12,000 per person for Eid ul Fitr and Rs. 24,000 for Eid ul Adha. But on both occasions, recipients were informed at the last minute that there were no funds available, and the aid was canceled. This left many — including widows and families of leprosy patients — feeling deeply frustrated and heartbroken by the repeated broken promises.
Even the Zakat Department employees in Rawalpindi have not been paid their salaries, unlike other government staff who received theirs at the end of May. Many said the delay has made it difficult to prepare for Eid with their families, and they’re now hoping to receive their pay only after the holiday.
As a result, all the deserving families who came hoping for financial help were forced to return home empty-handed, as the ongoing financial crisis continues to block the release of Zakat funds across the province.